General planning of an event
As in any project, in the realization of an event, fair or exhibition it is necessary to plan it properly, since without this, there is a high risk of not achieving success or of having a large waste of resources and efforts.
Planning an event and / or exhibition requires the same strategies as any other project.
Planning is essential for good coordination between all parties involved in the realization of an event and allows increasing the chances of having positive results.
The plan must become a specific and consistent strategy, represented by concrete actions. It should also outline and detail actions aimed at meeting specific objectives.
For each objective, the actions to be taken must be defined, anticipating possible problems to be solved, prioritizing their solutions, assigning resources and responsibilities, and designing follow-up measures that allow progress and results to be evaluated.
An unplanned event, if successful, will be the product of chance.
The selection and specific conception of an event or exhibition and having a clear and concrete purpose are crucial to its success in carrying it out.
Poorly conceived events generally arouse little interest and can cause loss of image and money and be very expensive.
The group of organizers that is going to intervene must participate in the development of the plan.
Many plans fail because those who have to make them come true are not involved in their development. For this reason, for good planning, the organizing group requires knowledge of the mission, objectives, policies, procedures, programs, budgets, logistics, strategies and tactics.
It is important to be convinced of the convenience and necessity of developing a properly planned work process to have a greater response capacity and to carry out events with quality.
The general planning of an event should include:
- The definition of the general and specific objectives. General policies The theme of the event The profile of the group of organizers, lecturers and participants The organizational structure and distribution of functions The formation, organization and program of the work group The mechanics of work and its implementation. (procedures). Forms of financing, budgets and money flow. The hiring of places and services. The programs of technical activities, recreation, companions and specific. The assignment of responsibilities and the dates of execution. The projections of sales and benefits. Marketing and dissemination strategies. Control of the application of resources by activity. Alternatives for action in case of deviations from the original plan. Possible contingencies and solutions.The training of organizers and support staff. The development and establishment of supervision, control and evaluation mechanisms. Preparation of the monitoring list.
Also, good planning must carefully consider the following:
- The most convenient dates for the event. Place and venue. Necessary area and infrastructure. General and particular topic. Who and how many speakers and participants. Definition of keynote speakers and working tables. Special guests. Forecast of expected participants. Define companies participating in the business rounds.
Experience has shown that in most events, a large part of success depends on making a good decision on the above points
The characteristics of a good plan should be the following:
- Understandable, concrete, and simple. Flexible and adaptable to be able to quickly adjust to changes that may arise before, during and after the event. Prepared and written in such a way that people who have not participated in its elaboration can easily understand it, that is It has a logical sequence It has a logical sequence It allows to systematically review the progress in the programs, to know what has been done and what is missing
The plan must become a specific and consistent strategy, represented by concrete actions
It is important to systematically review progress in the plan and programs, to know what has been done and what remains to be done.
Planning is closely linked to the resources available for holding an event.
To define the date and place of an event or exhibition, different variables must be considered that can influence the decision, such as:
- The time necessary for planning, organization and dissemination and implementation The convenience or not, of holding the event on holidays and vacations in offices and schools, to facilitate attendance at the event Other similar events that other companies could hold on the same days or groupings Dates available in convention centers, hotels and salons and that are accessible with the times of the most possible participants.
The above points should be analyzed and studied in great detail, since it can affect or benefit the attendance of speakers, personalities and participants.
The anticipation time to begin preparations will depend on the magnitude and characteristics of each event.
Generally a large exhibition or a major international event, you need to start preparations well in advance.
The theme must be interesting and current for the group that is going to participate.
You should invite and, where appropriate, hire quality and recognized speakers in the environment. The above is essential to have a good attendance at the event.
Generally, in all events, variations to the original plan occur, be they positive or negative, it is always advisable to return to the premises on the basis of which it was developed, to verify if they are current, logical and consistent with reality, which it will allow the adoption of the necessary corrective measures.
The organization of an event is very dynamic, so it is necessary to rethink and adjust to have the possibility of maintaining congruence and consistency over time between a group of actions and a set of objectives.
Planning and re-planning, reviewing scenarios, specifying objectives and evaluating progress, allows solving problems and obtaining constant improvements in results.
Some of the advantages of planning are:
- Clear and defined objectives are established, programs are established with goals to achieve them, and creativity is encouraged to make better use of available resources. Facilitates the progressive achievement of the goals set and practical and effective reviews Coordinates and unifies the efforts of the organizing group Simplifies the review of the achievement of objectives Results can be measured
Variations to the original plan
Generally, in all events variations to the original plan occur, be they positive or negative.
It is necessary to review the premises with which the plan was developed to verify if these are valid and logical with reality.
When variations are detected, the necessary corrective measures must be taken.
Re-plan
The organization of an event is very dynamic so it is necessary to rethink and adjust to maintain congruence and consistency between actions and objectives over time.
Rethinking requires reviewing scenarios, specifying objectives and evaluating progress to solve problems and obtain improvements in the shortest possible time.
Organization
With a good work team and an adequate division of functions, the objectives set can be met
- Organization manuals and procedures Work programs Formats and control cards IT systems and supports Personnel Specialized software
Respecting the division of functions and supporting others as much as possible guarantees the success of the exhibition.
Staff training must be supplemented with written information that contains the basic functions to be performed and the characteristics of the products.
Each of the members of the organizing committee must fully know their responsibilities and execute them efficiently and with quality.
Computer programs dedicated to the organization of events
In the market you can find different programs for organizing events. On the following sites you can find more than 1200 packages related to the meeting / event industry classified in various categories
Automate jobs, perform data analysis, and condense nearly all event functions
Definition and characteristics of the events.
For the purposes of this book, the term event is used to refer to congresses, seminars, conventions, conferences, forums, colloquia and meetings, differentiating it from the term exhibition, which is understood as the installation, promotion, marketing, operation and administration of a group of modules to promote products or services in pre-established places.
There are events where the organizers mount exhibitions related to the subject and others that are totally independent.
The subject of trade shows and exhibitions is covered extensively in Chapter V
Events can be held at the international, national, regional and local levels.
Organizers group profile
Within the planning stage, the profile of the group of organizers must be carefully defined, since they will be responsible for its implementation and to a large extent for its success.
The quality of an event will be determined, fundamentally, by the experience and work capacity of the group of organizers involved and by the development of a realistic work program, which includes all the activities necessary for it to be successful.
Those responsible for the recruitment and selection of the members of the organizing committee must consider the requirements of the previously established job descriptions.
The organizers must have a professional training and practical experience that allows them to fulfill the complex functions and activities that each particular event demands.
They will have to use their personal skills within the specific framework of the event environment and above all, they must have professional tact and diligence with the participants, guests and speakers.
They must generate a positive work environment to obtain the open collaboration of those involved in the implementation.
It is preferable to have staff with an outgoing personality and to facilitate public relations, as you interact with many people.
It is convenient to balance the personalities of the members of the organizing committee seeking to form a group with different profiles, leaders, supervisors, administrators, operators, creatives and support personnel.
In many events hundreds of people are required to organize different activities so volunteers are requested. These can be the wives and children of the organizers, members of the group, company or community, etc.
It is necessary to divide the functions of the volunteers and the members of the organizing committee, to avoid duplication of functions and misunderstandings.
It is also essential to consider in the plan, the strategy and the training program of the group of organizers and volunteers. The staff is more willing to give themselves to their work, if they have information about what is being done.
The structure that is proposed for the best realization of an event is formed by a general coordinator supported by seven area coordinators, as we will see in the next chapter.
Depending on the magnitude of the event, it is necessary to have trained and qualified personnel in some key positions of the organizing committee.
The key positions of an organizing committee can be:
- General coordinator. 8 area coordinators. Administrator of the registration system. Administrator of the housing system. Administrator of the information and communication system. Administrator of the food system. Administrator of the transportation system. Administrator of the procurement system. security. Exposure manager. Administrator of business rounds Responsible for sales Responsible for dissemination and advertising Responsible for design and decoration Responsible for legal area Responsible for treasury Responsible for training Responsible for operations center Responsible Head of the press room.Responsible for the media.Responsible for speakers and special guests.Responsible for aides.Responsible for the support and management staff Responsible for the medical service Responsible for the nursery Responsible for music and entertainment Responsible for sound, video, photography and recording Responsible for maintenance and general services Responsible for material resources Responsible for the Tourist services Responsible for special events General accountant.
Book: How to organize events and exhibitions
Author: Jack Fleitman Editorial Pax [email protected]
www.ciemsa.mx professional consultants
@jackkmex
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