Planning Made Perfect

ONE - Start Early

The sooner you begin the planning process, the better. Contracts have to be negotiated, rooms reserved, and activities scheduled. The larger the event, the earlier you should start coordinating the details. "Ideally, begin planning a major conference at least a year in advance," says Rachel E. Weaver, Events Director with Fidelity National Information Services. "Smaller meetings can usually be completed in a few months time."
How early you start depends on the purpose of the event, says Mable Jones, Director of Sales Administration for AAA and a member of the Elite Meetings Advisory Board (EMAB). For an annual recognition you need the lead time to prepare all promotional material to support the theme and destination. For a mini contest, you have to know the destination before announcing the contest and plan support strategies. "When planning a business meeting, identify the location at least four months ahead of time," Jones suggests.

TWO - Location, Location, Location

Casual or formal, tropical or urban, the venue you pick for your affair helps set the mood for the event and creates buzz around the trip. But before you choose a site, you have to establish a few essentials, including the meeting objectives, length of stay and, of course, the budget. "Look at locations that are cost-effective in the way of transporting equipment and employees," says Weaver. "Next, make sure a venue offers the space you need-with rooms close to one another-as well as entertainment options."
Airport proximity is another thing to consider, notes Jones. "When moving a large group and when the trip is four days or less, you don't want to spend most of the time in transportation."
If traveling with groups of less than 200 people, it's best to look at properties where you will be the only or main group onsite, recommends Amy Spaulding, VP of Event Marketing for Countrywide Institutional Mortgage Services Group. "The hotel will give you better service and attention." Also, she suggests, "Try a buyout sometime. It's a fun experience for a group-people will feel like kings and queens."

THREE - It's in the Details

With so many components involved in coordinating an event, it's no wonder the best planners are known for their ability to pay close attention to detail. Having a system that works is paramount, whether you use a large calendar or sophisticated software that tracks vendors, expenses and schedules. As you get closer to the event, keep close tabs on all the essentials by creating one or several checklists and by writing yourself reminder notes for the most pressing tasks.

FOUR - Express Check-in

Get the event off to a good start by speeding up the registration process. Utilize satellite check-in with your hotels and, at arrival, have multiple attendants and set-up stations so guests can spread out. "Be sure to pre-key the guestrooms and give the hotel staff your arrival and departure list so they know when to expect your participants," advises Spaulding.
One idea is to contract with an online registration system, just like Weaver's company recently did. "This offers the convenience of modifying registrations for our clients and also dramatically speeds up the process of providing guarantee numbers for meals and participant lists to our executives," she says. Nonetheless, you should still offer participants the option to register via fax or email.

FIVE - Create a Theme

According to Claudia Bursch, site and contract manager with Tastefully Simple, Inc., having a set theme adds color to an event and creates a common experience for the attendees and staff. "The theme drives everything: the printed materials, training topics, the titles of sessions, registration design and entertainment," she says. Even if you can't arrange the entire trip around one specific subject or idea, plan at least one theme event during the stay, says Jones. "It allows people to get involved and have fun. They love it."

SIX - Make Connections

Establishing rapport with the resort or hotel staff is another important part of the planning puzzle, says Jones. "The onsite staff can save you time and money by sharing what works and doesn't work. They are a wealth of information."
Working with a strong team where everyone understands the importance of their role, no matter how little their assigned task, is crucial, attests Weaver. She suggests making a schedule that literally outlines what needs to occur during every part of the event and assigning a person to complete the task. The more you communicate with the staff, the fewer the surprises for all involved. "Let the staff know what is most important to you so they can serve you better," Bursch recommends. "If you have a feel for each other's work style, the better prepared you both are for the onsite experience."

SEVEN - Hire Help

Planners wear many hats. And while it is important to at least be familiar with the technical equipment onsite, most planners neither have the time or technical expertise to do all of the troubleshooting on their own. Says Spaulding, "It's better to rely on the hotel's audiovisual department, or hire a technician for the event to prevent any disasters."

EIGHT - Get Everybody on Board

In today's corporate world, groups are often diverse in age, interest levels and the way they approach the meeting agenda. For example, baby boomers tend to favor longer breaks, while younger generations prefer shorter, fast-paced meetings sans time out. Guests over 50 may pick a game of golf or a trip to the spa over a river-rafting adventure that thrills the twentysomethings. To avoid alienating anyone, keep meetings short and energetic, and during breaks, engage in conversation those who stick around. Also ensure the activities menu holds a few different options so that people can choose a pursuit they enjoy, Spaulding suggests.

NINE - Team Spirit

There are many ways to boost interaction among attendees. For starters, use name badges and create a photo booklet of the attendees that includes some information about them-where they are from, the division they work for, and any special interests. Upon arrival, a cocktail reception before dinner encourages mingling, as does dinner food stations, says Spaulding, who adds, "Also create centerpieces or a dinner theme that stirs up conversation."
Other things that promote team spirit include dances, scavenger hunts, and group activities like snorkeling, horseback riding and bowling. "Hire a photographer to shoot random pictures during the event," says Bursch, "and set up meetings in rounds rather than using theater or classroom seating, without giving participants assigned seats." You can also play music during breakout sessions to create a fun atmosphere and get people to talk and laugh.

TEN - Meet the Challenge

No matter how prepared you are, even the best-laid plans sometimes fail. A guest speaker could cancel last minute, or it may start pouring the morning of a mountain bike outing. This is when a backup plan comes in handy. For instance, be sure to have the names of a few local speakers and entertainers who could perform on short notice. And ensure the group can engage in fun indoor activities should the weather not permit the planned sailing trip or ropes course experience. "You need to be able to graciously work with your resources to remedy any potential disasters before attendees are affected," says Weaver. "And you have to be skilled at problem-solving and entertaining on very little sleep."
Accept responsibility, even for things outside your control, and move on, the expert points out. "Getting caught in the blame game in the middle of an event is counterproductive to everyone involved." Note whatever did not go as smoothly as anticipated and then, during the post-event meeting, evaluate how to avoid disasters in the future.
A great planner knows how to quickly adapt to change, adds Spaulding. "Think of it as if you're an actor on stage. The audience doesn't know what your lines are supposed to be, so quickly fill in the space with something else that makes sense and keep moving along like nothing happened."