Meetings

Shannon Kilkenny

How to Attract New Clients with Seminars and Workshops

Face it ladies, we can all use a new or different form of marketing, promotion and/or publicity. I’m a true believer in multiple venues for getting my name and product out to my potential customers and clients. One avenue I have found that works for me is planning and implementing seminars and workshops. This great marketing tool also gets me out of the house, away from my computer and face to face with my customers and potential clients. Who is the perfect candidate for leading a seminar or workshop? Anyone who has a product or service to offer and wants more clients and customers – is that you? This brief overview shows you the benefits of seminars and workshops and helps to get you started with development and designing ideas. First, let’s define seminars and workshops. With this understanding you will be able to decide which fits you and your marketing plan.

A Seminar tends to be more instructive with a lecturer speaking to an audience about a specific topic. Seminars typically handle a larger audience with this structure. You can have hundreds of participants – just listening with little to no interaction.

A Workshop tends to be more interactive, more of a hands-on learning. It is usually a smaller group because of the activity structure. Typically workshops cater to a smaller group where you might break out and work in even smaller groups throughout the allotted timeframe.

So What is in it For You? There are a number of benefits to harvest with these types of events.

1. Exposure and Name Recognition – You can reach a large audience base. It is a way of introducing your name and business to potential clients and customers. It is said that a person needs to hear your name 5-7 times before they will buy from you or use your services. This is an excellent outlet for word-of-mouth marketing.
2. Establish Credibility – When you lead workshops or seminars, people automatically look at you as an expert. They are more likely to trust what you say. You build trust and a reputation as well, so make sure what you say is true. Offer them a solution.
3. Generate Leads – These leads are priceless. If they attend your event or contact you for more information, a solid connection has been made. I have a list of everyone who has taken my class or come to my workshop, purchased my book or made an inquiry of any of the above. And when my next book comes out….I have a list of direct leads.
4. Selling Opportunity – Seminars and workshops can create a multi-stream of income. First you can charge for the workshop (not always appropriate). Second, sell your product and your services – possibly repeatedly (back of the room sales).
5. Learn your market – Learn needs and desires of your audience. After each event you will have learned more from your participants and can then transform your curriculum to cover those new issues. You can incorporate that information into your next presentation or you might get new ideas and create a totally different seminar or create a new product. Evaluations forms are priceless.

Sometimes these results aren’t noticed right away, because the client isn’t ready at the moment. But they will remember you when their need arises. And if they keep seeing your name out there…when they are ready, they will come to you.How to Develop a Workshop or Seminar

Let’s do a quick test to see if you are a candidate to create a workshop or seminar by going through the next 8 steps. See what you come up with and decide whether or not you have something worthwhile to give. And of course you do or else you wouldn’t even be reading this article.

1. Define yourself: Write down your profession or the special knowledge you have – keep it simple at first. For example:

Profession: Attorney, mortgage broker, chiropractor, business consultant, event planner, writer, accountant, financial planner, etc.Knowledge: Health care, web design, coaching, event planning, vitamins, teacher, real estate, organizer, etc.

1. Define your services and products: Write down what your services or the products you have to offer such as coaching, consulting, teacher, trainer, books, newsletters, classes and/or workshops, etc.
2. Get specific: What information or skill do you have and would want to share with others? If you’re a mortgage broker, maybe you specialize in 1st time buyers or are creative with financing and work with people who own and want to own multiple income properties. Or you’re a chiropractor and you specialize in young children or pregnant women or sports injuries. Or you’re a tax account and you specialize in real estate or small businesses or an attorney who specialized in creating trusts and financial planning…..You get the idea.
3. List Potential Topics: Out of the list above, list some topics you could teach and train others.
4. List your target audience: Who would be interested in what you have to offer. You need to get specific here. When it comes to marketing, knowing who these people are will save you time and money.
5. Bring in Others: List others who you might want to create an alliance with you and work together on a combined curriculum. Find someone with additional knowledge or complimentary knowledge or a product that would enhance your event.
6. Prepare an agenda: Take everything from above and begin working on the details. This will ultimately begin the process of designing your agenda/curriculum. Make sure you have a compelling topic and offer a solution!
7. Write an enticing course title: With the information you’ve written down, start creating a title. Don’t be surprised if it changes often until you find the right one. And you will know when you have it.

By following the above steps you have developed the shell / template for your workshop or seminar. Keep going to the design stage if you have discovered you have great topic and program to use as a selling tool.Designing a Workshop / SeminarRemember that the ultimate goal is obtain the benefits that we spoke of earlier! You want to present a quality image of you and your product or service. What you are looking for are new clients and you want quality clients not just quantity. Think of your workshop or seminar as a sales call for a large number of potential clients.

Create an Agenda – Make sure your topic and/or presentation is gripping and solutions based. People don’t just buy products and services….they buy solutions. They have problems and they want you to provide the answers. How does your service or product provide a solution? What answers do you have to a problem? These are the topics and issues that you want to present. What I can do for you! If the complete solution involves a third party – bring them in. With the right collaboration you are able to offer participants more solutions in one setting. Be specific and avoid topics that are too general. Unless the workshop is just a teaser to other things such as an all day course or a series of coaching sessions, etc. I give workshops for the Learning Annex and only have 3 hours to teach Event Planning. There is not nearly enough time to explain it all….So the participants want to buy my book as they leave for the rest of the story!

Know Your Audience – Select the right target audience and prospects. These are the people who need your services and products – they need a solution that you can provide. Are they individuals, small business owners, women, parents, students, people in career transition, people in pain – emotionally or physical, new home buyers, somebody having tax problems, financial investment needs, the corporate sector, the list goes on and on. Clarifying your audience will help you effectively communicate your solution in your invitation and ultimately your presentation. Find out how to reach your audience. Will it be through email, flyer, phone calls, invitations, etc. What will work best for your situation? Network for leads – always be on the look out for potential clients. Make sure you get everyone’s business card and put it in your database right away.

Attract your Clients – Create and deliver an attractive invitation that demands action. Craft something that will entice them to come to your event. Use the AIDA principal for the invitation: Attention – Grab the readers’ attention

Interest – Generate interest

Desire – Create the desire within them to keep reading or phone

Action – Tell them what to do. Act Now, Buy Now, Phone Today, Buy This book!

Once you have a presentation whether it is a seminar or a workshop, you can recycle it. No need to reinvent the wheel. So the initial time it takes to create the presentation will pay off over and over again.

Obviously there is a lot more to planning a workshop or seminar than what is written is this article. For a comprehensive understanding of planning events of any kind, order my book The Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning by going to www.successfuleventplanning.com

And for those of you out there who think you can’t possibly present a workshop or seminar – because of a fear of speaking in front of a group. I’m here to tell you I was there! But I started out speaking with small groups and then worked my way up. But fear of public speaking is a whole other article! In fact…it could be a great workshop topic for one of you ladies. Plan well, plan often and expect success.

Yvon Douran

Exciting new technologies like interactive computer use, live video enhancement of speakers, and teleconferencing can be utilized but the associated cost of these new technologies can be steep. The type of AV support you will need for your meeting or event may be simple or more complex. Be sure to review all your options and plan ahead:

• Get a list of all speakers’ needs well in advance of your meeting date and schedule a rehearsal.

• Allow for rehearsal and set-up time in your meeting rooms.

• Give speakers a chance to rehearse with equipment they will be using.

• Test equipment immediately prior to the beginning of the event. Check acoustics

Clap your hands sharply… talk loudly… listen carefully

Check to see if there are any echo’s or dead spots.

Do drapes or acoustic panels need to be added.?

Plug-in and test the audio.

Is the public address system working?

Is there any feedback at working level?

Are the speakers correctly placed?

Are there enough microphones, cords, stands?

Have spare bulks and extension cords on hand.

If you are taping, is the tape recorder microphone working? Check to see if you have to erect a stand or move a table

Is the audiovisual the right distance from the screen, rigid and level?

Know the location of circuit breakers and fuses

Have spare fuses and standby circuits ready

Test the intercom system.

Is the emergency work light ready?

• Having a technician available to attend to your needs throughout the meeting may be your best insurance policy.

• If the facility where you are holding your meeting has AV equipment available check to make sure it is in good working order.

• Remember that poor-quality AV equipment can ruin a meeting.

To maximize your audio visual budget, try the following:

• If using an outside vendor, choose a reputable company and reserve equipment early. If you have never worked with the supplier before, ask for references and check them.

• Negotiate all costs. Package deals are good for you and the rental companies. If they know your needs and have your timelines, it will be more cost effective.

• Make sure all agreements are in writing. If one company is not able to meet your needs, look at other companies until your needs are met.

• Provide clear instructions in writing. Include agendas and room layouts so your vendors know exactly what you expect.

• If you need help, find experienced production managers and technicians to oversee the AV portions of your event. Introduce yourself to the technicians who will be working your event, and find out how to contact them should the need arise.

• Barter goods and services with your rental companies. They may want to advertise in your publications, exhibit at your trade show, or acquire leads from your attendees.

• Guaranteed performance is often a policy of AV companies. They will compensate clients for rental costs in the event of equipment failure. Even better, many will provide on-site back-up.

Check the audio-visual equipment that is available at the meeting facility you are using. Many facilities have their own in-house audio department. Ask if any audio-visual equipment is included in your room charge? Be sure to check out the quality and age of the equipment provided.

Most facilities only provide a podium and microphone, so you will need to rent additional equipment from a qualified local audio-visual rental company. The facility where you are holding your meeting or the local Convention and Visitors Bureau can provide recommendations.

Yvon Douran

Allow time for set-up and rehearsal and allow time between sessions to re-set meeting rooms. Book all meeting rooms in 24 hour time blocks. Verify when presenters will arrive and if they need rehearsal time before their scheduled start time.

1. Seating Plan. Are the tables and chairs arranged in the correct manner for the meeting format? Is the size of the room adequate for the number of people who will be in attendance? Are there removable walls and is the room sound proof from adjacent rooms and the foyer? Movable walls are not usually soundproof. A soundproof solution is to run two parallel air walls to create a narrow corridor between them

2. Location of additional chairs. Check that extra chairs are available and easily accessible.

3. Room Temperature Locate the room climate controls (air conditioning/heating). Start with the room cooler than usual, the room will warm-up with more people in the space and once the doors are closed.

4. Teleprompter, translation equipment and Audio-Visual Make sure that all of the equipment needed for the meeting is on-site and ready to go.( Hand-held microphone with stand, lavaliere microphones, white board with markers or projector and screen with laser pointer)

Check power capability and power outlets. Are electrical outlets available for plugging in laptop computers? Is there telephone connectivity and is it needed? Internet connectivity? Wireless facility?

5. Podium with light and riser. Check to make sure that these items are available if requested by the speaker or facilitator.

6. Presentation table with water pitcher, drinking glasses, pencils and note pads.

7. Decorations that reinforce the meeting theme and color scheme. Check that all decorations conform to fire regulations.

8. Floral arrangements and plants.

9. Signage Check the location of signage – is it clear and visible?

10. Tape recorder if an audio recording is being made and operator. Depending at the length of the presentation make sure there are adequate supplies/audio tapes to accommodate.

11. Lighting e.g., over head, obscured, variable beam, spotlights, strobe lights, special effects, lights with dimmer switches

12. Position of light switches

13. Is there closed circuit TV ? Is the security adequate?

14. Radio and TV broadcasting, Videotaping?

15. Wheelchair access and space allotment on aisle

Careful planning makes for flawless execution and a chance for attendees to get the most out of the sessions they attend.

Michelle Issing

For many meeting planners, technology is all about helping us perform our jobs more efficiently – from online registration systems, printing name badges, tracking attendees and managing budgets. Sometimes it may be easy to forget that technology plays a very important role in an attendee’s experience. Below are some ways technology can improve that experience.

Wow – That Was a Great Presentation!
In today’s world of instant information, near constant Internet access and ever-changing technology, attendees are beginning to expect more than just a single speaker reading off of PowerPoint slides. Technology makes it easy to really jazz up your presentations and begin to truly engage your audience. PowerPoint can easily be combined with Flash animations, embedded audio and video and other cool features that can really enhance a presentation.

Wait – Don’t Go!
It does not matter how great the presentations are if the attendees don’t attend. Keeping attendees in the meeting environment is always a challenge for planners, especially with the distraction of PDAs and cell phones. Setting up an Internet café outside of meeting rooms that provides Internet access between sessions will encourage attendees to stick around.

Giveaways – Yes Please!
With the PhRMA code and the new California Marketing Compliance Law (CMCL) restricting what giveaways are appropriate, wowing attendees with expensive giveaways are a thing of the past. One giveaway that has recently become popular is a USB flash drive imprinted with a company or conference logo. Information about the company or conference can be saved on the drive for attendees to access later. Attendees can easily use the drive for other purposes.

That Would Have Been Cool…
Technology is wonderful when it works, but if something goes wrong it can leave a bad impression of the presenter and the conference. Every failure can’t be avoided, but you should take steps to ensure that they are few and far between. Be sure that you have full IT support throughout the entire conference in the meeting spaces, Internet cafes and the exhibit hall.

The Next Best Thing
Technology is always changing and attendees will not always be impressed with technology that was new yesterday. Don’t wait until you have seen something at several conferences before trying it. To keep your conference fresh and innovative – push the envelope!

Mandy Chagger

A large part of what makes a meeting successful occurs in the preparation phase. Although it may vary by committee, department or unit, there are seven key responsibilities expected of chairs or team leaders before a meeting takes place. Each is explained in detail below.

1. Clarify purpose and aims. A clearly stated purpose or aim describes the key decisions that must be made or actions that must occur at the meeting. The purpose of a meeting should be stated at the top of the meeting agenda. Some example purpose statements might look something like:
• Share best practices in graduate recruitment and identify opportunities to recruit collaboratively
• Identify priority goals for next year
• Examine and update admission criteria
• Decide how to get feedback from faculty, staff and students
Everything else on the agenda including topics, times, and presenters are the activities that, taken together, will accomplish the aims. A weekly or monthly staff meeting may not require meeting aims beyond the agenda items.

2. Create an agenda. An agenda is a framework that guides and supports the meeting. Agendas are like roadmaps, blueprints, flight plans, and recipes. An agenda helps focus the group’s work toward achieving desired outcomes. Good agenda items provide focus and structure for a meeting. Some example agenda items might look something like:
• Report on fall enrollments
• Identify members for ad hoc space committee
• Generate list of possible solutions for the xyz problem with pros and cons of each
3. Schedule the meeting. Scheduling a meeting involves much more than just making a list of attendees. It requires identifying key people who must attend and either finding times that work for them or notifying them of the meeting’s time and location. Once an optimal date and time are agreed upon, a meeting location can be selected. (Choice meeting locations sometimes dictate meeting dates.) Other scheduling activities might include some of the following:
• Create a scheduling grid
• Create an electronic mailing list at the start
• Keep a sample E-mail handy to use as a double-check
• Draft the final meeting notification early on, with date, time and location added later.
4. Post and send out agenda. An agenda should be sent to participants ahead of time to help them prepare to participate. There are legal requirements for posting meeting notices.

5. Circulate supporting information. You should always circulate supporting materials to participants in advance of the meeting. However, deciding how much information to send in advance can present a conundrum. Some people won’t look at anything prior to the meeting and some will conscientiously read all the supporting information they can.

6. Make room arrangements. Ensure that room arrangements (including refreshments) are made. Room arrangements can make a big difference in how well a meeting goes or doesn’t go. Most important is that participants can see and hear each other. Although a “U” shape arrangement or open square is ideal for smaller groups of 20 or less, it is not usually a good choice for larger groups. The yawning hole in the middle makes communication difficult. A herring bone arrangement of tables is usually better for these larger groups. Room Arrangements for a Successful Meeting An important role for a committee chair or facilitator is to ensure that everyone present has the opportunity to participate in the deliberations. This means being able to see and hear each other. Some room arrangements facilitate communication and interaction more than others. For small groups, a “U” shape or open square arrangement is ideal – everyone can see everyone else and the shape by itself suggests interaction and equal participation.

Those same shapes, however, can be deadly when groups get over 20 or so. Suddenly the huge empty space in the middle yawns. Each side of the “U” or square becomes so long that people are actually quite far from each other, making it difficult to hear and see others. Ironically, the same shape that creates such a warm atmosphere for small groups becomes counter-productive for larger groups For groups over 20, consider a herringbone arrangement of tables and chairs with 4 or 5 people at each. These arrangements enable people to easily see and interact with others, not only at their own table, but at the tables around them as well. Have as many tables as are required so that no one must sit at an uncomfortable angle to see what is happening at the front. Committee decisions often benefit by some small group discussion before the group as a whole makes a decision. Consider in advance whether separate breakout rooms are needed. If the room is large, participants can spread out by moving their chairs to various corners. If there is not room to spread out, the noise level can make it almost impossible for the groups to accomplish their work.

This noise level is particularly uncomfortable for participants with hearing aids. Ironically, the same shape that creates such a warm atmosphere for small groups becomes counter-productive for larger groups. Breakout space doesn’t necessarily need to be another formal meeting room. In thinking of alternatives, consider having groups go outside to work, weather-permitting. There may be lounge areas or a lobby to which small groups could go for their working session. At one memorable meeting, a small group met in the lounge adjoining the ladies room! The point is to consider ahead of time what kind of space is required for the work to be done.

7. Arrange for a recorder. The recorder takes notes on paper, laptop or on flip charts. Meeting notes should be distributed as soon after the meeting as possible. The longer the lag, the less confidence the members have that their investment will result in action. For groups that meet regularly, the recorder is responsible for keeping previous meeting notes and agendas in one place where they can be referenced later such as from a notebook or shared network drive, etc.

Mandy Chagger

Meetings held and organised by Pharmaceutical companies are an essential way of communicating and evolving scientific research, clinical development and medical education. However, there is always the danger that they can be seen as a blatant attempt to railroad Health Care Professionals into prescribing products by using lavish surroundings and hospitality to influence them.

This is where the ABPI 2006 code of practice comes into its own, specifically clause 19 which deals with the arrangement and holding of HCP meetings within the Pharmaceutical industry. The key requirement being that the main purpose of the meeting should be its content and any hospitality offered during these meetings should not only be secondary but in fact no more than basic subsistence.

How can we work out what would and would not be acceptable? In answering this question, you would need to consider all aspects of the meeting from the venue, timings, hospitality, content (including speakers) and all associated materials ie handouts, stand material and invitations and equally as important, the costs. All of these elements factor in how the end product, the meeting, will be perceived. This is how it would be deemed acceptable or not, the overall impression given from combining all of these elements. Therefore, one of the requirements of the code is that all Pharmaceutical companies have a specific policy dealing with meetings and hospitality. This must be adhered to otherwise companies can find themselves in breach of the code which can ultimately lead to heavy sanctions against the offending company.

What sort of meetings are acceptable? In simple terms, educational meetings. This however does not rule out promotional meetings as these can be just as educational as non-promotional meetings. Either way, the educational content of the meeting must be the primary purpose of the meeting.

To achieve the right balance between educational content and hospitality the following must be considered. Timings- Does the length of the meeting justify the hospitality offered? For example, a meeting lasting one hour in the afternoon does not warrant an elaborate 3 course dinner and overnight accommodation, however if the meeting commenced at 12 noon and ran till 6pm and extended until the following morning, then this level of hospitality could be justified.

Costs/Quality- Is the cost and quality of the hospitality in accordance with the level of the meeting? For example, a good quality venue with 3 course dinner could be booked for a meeting featuring an international speaker however would not be justifiable for a local GP speaker meeting as this would be more appropriately hosted in a conference centre.

Arrangements- Have the arrangements been made to be suit the educational content of the meeting? For example, a talk over dinner suggests that the educational content comes secondary to the food, whereas a short meeting with just simple refreshments would indicate that the education is why people are attending.

Advertising Emphasis- Does the advertisement of the meeting ‘sell’ the content or the venue/hospitality? For example, if the meeting is billed on the invitations as a ‘Gala Dinner’ or being held at a ‘Luxury and Renowned Venue’ this would be seen as luring the attendees on the hospitality or the quality of the venue. The meeting must be advertised with the educational content being its primary ‘selling’ point.

Venue- Is the venue appropriate to the purpose of the meeting? The meeting content should be planned first and only then a venue should be sourced to fit in with that content. Never should a venue be hired and the meeting content be edited to fit to that specific venue. The venue must be professional and offer privacy for the duration of the educational content of the meeting. Nightclubs and Casinos are a big no-no.

Sporting venues and Spas should be avoided unless there really is no alternative venue to host the meeting. Any sporting venue that is used should have no fixtures immediately before, during or after the meeting. Location of the venue is also important. For example, it would not be acceptable to hold a local GP speaker meeting from the midlands in central Scotland as this would mean unnecessary travelling, accommodation, expense and would be perceived as the venue being the main attraction for the meeting allowing the attendees a mini-break on the back of the meeting.

Activities- Which activities are acceptable during the meeting? Any activity offered must be professional. Activities can only be offered if they relate to the main educational purpose of the meeting. Any activity which is mainly for entertainment value should not be included. For example, a round of golf, Spa treatments, wine tasting. These activities are unprofessional and therefore unacceptable in accordance with the code.

Materials- Which materials can be used? All meetings should ideally be documented by at least an invitation or a letter confirming arrangements. All materials used must comply with the relevant sections of the code which also includes materials produced by third parties as the Pharmaceutical companies have overall compliance responsibility. Sponsorship must be clearly stated on all relating material whether the meeting is promotional or not. All materials used must show that the meeting is in accordance to the code. For example, invitations/stands must not give the wrong impression of the meeting content.

There are many factors which could potentially lead to a breach of the code in booking a meeting for HCP’s. Some Pharmaceutical companies are seeking help in this area by using venue sourcing companies who have been certified by an industry consultant and have in-depth knowledge of what is and not acceptable under the ABPI 2006 code of compliance. This is proving to be of great use to them as although it does not remove their ultimate responsibility, it acts as a further safe guard in the need to comply.

In summary, perception is key. Put yourself in the position of an outside observer, how would it look to you?

Mandy Chagger

When you are looking to hold an annual general meeting (AGM), there are a variety of things to consider when selecting an appropriate venue to host the gathering. Not only will you be looking for a suitable professional venue to reflect the image and purpose of the company or trust, you will also need to consider the availability of professional and business support services, location and accessibility, comfortable accommodations for meetings that last days rather than a few hours, and the size of venue that can hold your attendees.

Annual general meetings (AGM) for many companies and trust organisations are major highlights of the business year requiring a great deal of logistical organisation. These meetings also provide an opportunity to demonstrate to shareholders and investors the results of business performance over the last financial year as well as management plans for the future. It is essential that the right venue be selected, as proper consideration in choosing the venue to hold your annual general meeting will pay good dividends.

Consider the number of attendees you are likely to expect, and bear in mind that if you are a publicly listed company, this may run into hundreds or thousands that may or may not decide to turn up on the day. You may be looking to combine your annual general meeting with other company related events such as a product launch, PR event, or training courses that shareholders and staff may participate in, and this also needs to be factored into your decision for hosting the events. Once you have a realistic estimate of the number of attendees, consider the ability of the venue to handle spillover numbers, not just for seating capacity but also parking, food services, and overnight guests.

The geographical location of the venue for the annual general meeting (agm) also must be seriously thought through. Many meetings take place in London every day; however, before you decide to follow the herd or hold a meeting at the main operational location, take some time to look at where your shareholders and stakeholders are actually located. Some organisations deliberately host their annual general meetings at different locations around the country in order to be able to show off differing parts of the company or geographical divisions and dovetail this with what the change of scenery has to offer. The National Trust for instance, holds its annual general meeting at a different venue each year to provide management and stakeholders with the opportunity to sample first hand the efforts of the Trust.

The availability of overnight accommodations is also an important factor to consider when selecting your venue for hosting the annual general meeting. In this instance, the cost is primarily borne by the guests attending and not the company itself, so the ability to offer a range of accommodations to suit the varying budgets of your attendees becomes a good plus point. Bear in mind that quality accommodations will be required for company guests such as potential major investors and business partners who will be attending. These are likely to be required to be close at hand in order to facilitate business meetings and negotiations outside the main event.

It should go without saying that communication and transport links are essential, particularly for meetings that will only be held for the day. Proximity to rail and road links that will allow travel to and from the venue comfortably will go some way to ensuring that attendees arrive fresh and able to conduct the business of the day. Consider what shuttle transport services the venue is able to provide to collect and return attendees to the train station or airport, bearing in mind that attendees will be voting on company resolutions such as director’s remuneration and their ability to serve on the board for the forthcoming year and to an extent they need to be catered for.

The ability to provide a wide variety of services such as corporate hospitality and business support services will also mark out those venues that are suitable for hosting your annual general meetings (agm). Asking your prospective venue providers what experience they have in hosting PR events, corporate hospitality provision, training, and team building exercises will help you gain an idea of the professional capability of the venue. Combining these ancillary factors together with the more obvious considerations such as hotel size and location will help you narrow down the choices available to you for hosting the meeting.

Whatever the choice you make, it is important to keep in the forefront of your mind what the annual general meeting (agm) is for and who will be there. This is the meeting where management and shareholders meet and vote on issues facing the company for the immediate future. How well the shareholders are catered for is a direct reflection upon how important management considers shareholders to be. The image that is projected by the selection of the venue will also reflect directly upon how the company is perceived by the shareholders themselves, and it is they who own the company.

Mandy Chagger

When it comes to setting up conference meetings, everything must be perfect and planned down to the last detail. There are a number of different considerations to make when planning conference meetings, including location considerations, hotel selection, cost considerations, and one must also take into consideration the general services offered by the venue of choice. Finding a good venue may seem like a cumbersome task, but the proper preplanning and forethought with ensure that conferences and meetings go smoothly. Further, the selection of a venue will affect the successfulness of any given event and the selection of a venue will create a lasting impression on those that attend an event.

The first thing that one must plan when organising annual general meetings, award ceremonies, conference meetings, conventions, exhibitions, PR events, product launches, sales presentations, or seminars requires the event planner to determine what the primary focus of the event will be. Any event must be planned with the end result in mind, and the focus of the event must prove to be entertaining even if work related. Events like seminars, product launches and sales presentations must be something that will maintain the interest of those that attend. By maintaining the interest of those that attend an event, one can ensure that the attendance of future events is secure.

When it comes to sales events and product launches, selecting the perfect venue is an act that cannot be overestimated in terms of importance. The selection of an appropriate venue can literally mean the difference between a successful product launch and an unsuccessful one. The venue selected will ultimately leave an impression on those that attend the sales event or product launch: an impression that will remain with those in attendance long after the event is over. The impression established at a sales event or product launch will ultimately be associated with the event and the company or the organisation that arranged the event: thus, a venue selection must result in a positive impression.

The second thing that must be considered in terms of conferences and meetings is how many people will attend. Conferences, meetings, and seminars are established for groups both small and large. The number of anticipated attendants will help to determine the size of the venue required. The establishment of a list determining the number of people expected to attend a meeting, seminar, exhibition or convention will also determine the cost of the venue in question: larger meeting spaces may cost more than smaller ones. If a larger meeting room is not required, there is little sense in paying the additional fees associated with the use of a larger meeting area.

After determining the size of an event, a venue can be chosen: once the number of people expected to attend is determined, an event planner will have a solid idea of the size of the venue required. How one chooses a venue will depend up convenience: the event should be hosted in an area where it is easily accessible to those attending the event. Of course, if an event planner is not intimately familiar with a particular location, they may not immediately realise where all of the best locations for an event are: it may be wise to speak with a knowledgable event organiser and planner in such an instance. An organiser can help plan every step of a conference meeting or event, taking away a major burden from a corporation or organisation looking to host an event.

When a location is chosen, the type of menus available must also be considered, as well as available transportation to and from the location. Before selecting a venue, one will need to review the general services offered. Good questions to ask are questions pertaining to available entertainment, what forms of entertainment are permissible, and what fees are involved with the use of the location. To find the best prices in terms of a venue search, it may prove beneficial if one relies on the knowledge of an event organiser; event organisers are not only familiar with the best venues, but they are also knowledgeable about the venues that will generate the least in terms of expense.

Whether your meetings are conference meetings, sales presentations, PR events, product launches, annual general meetings, conventions, exhibitions, seminars, award ceremonies or you want to host one or more team building events, the selection of a venue is critical. It may be necessary for you to rely on the services of a qualified conference organiser to ensure that your conference meetings are perfect. Micromanaging every detail of a conference will help to ensure a positive outcome for the event and for all individuals that attend. By utilising the services of professional event organiser, a company or organisation can ensure that the event is not only successful, but also hassle-free.