PR Writing - Organizing Meetings & Events

Promotional Events

A celebrity at your promotional event may attract media attention and civilian attendees, but appearance costs can be costly. A promotional event may be a grand opening or a 5k charity fun run; it is important to consider such factors as city permits, security, and liability insurance.

Reception

A representative of the organization should greet guests as they enter. If guests are important people, they should meet the top officials of the organization.

Greeting

A representative of the sponsoring organization should be at the entrance to the room. If the number attending is not too large, a personal welcome is in order. When hundreds of people are expected, this isn't possible, but the chairperson should greet the audience in his or her opening remarks.

Facilities

A small meeting may not need much in the way of facilities, wheras a larger one may require more seating and other facilities. You should check everything an hour or two before the meeting.

Seating

A variety of seating arrangements can be used, depending on the purpose of the meeting. A monthly club meeting, for example, often features a luncheon or dinner. In this case, attendees are usually seated at round tables of six or eight, where they first have a meal and then listen to a speaker.

Emergencies

Accidents or illnesses may occur. All employees should know what to do and how to request proper medical assistance.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Publicity

Advertising. News releases. Banners. Postage.

Seating & Tables

Are there enough seats for the audience you are expecting? Are they arranged properly?

Audience & Speaker Aids

Are there programs or agendas? Will there be notepaper, pencils, and handout materials?

Projectors & Video Equipment

Are they hooked up and working? Whom do you contact at the facility if you have technical difficulties?

Screen Or Monitors

Are they large enough for the size of the audience?

How to Plan An Open House - Ceremony

Arrange a focal point for your open house, such as a ribbon cutting, awards ceremony, music or dance performance, or brief message from the company president.

How to Plan An Open House - Specialty Advertising

Arrange for giveaways that increase your organization's visibility, such as balloons, t shirts, and mugs.

Location (Planning a Convention)

As real estate agents say, it's location, location, location. A national convention can be anywhere in the country, but one in Fairbanks, Alaska, would probably not be well attended. A convention in Las Vegas or New Orleans might be good because the beauty of the location could make up for the cost and time of travel. Many organizations rotate their conventions from one part of the state, region, or country to another to equalize travel burdens.

Close With a Brief Overview

At the end of the meeting, summarize what has been accomplished, what will be done, and who will do it. Remember that meetings are held to make decisions, not just to discuss things.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Recognition Items

Awards, plaques, trophies. Engraving. Framing. Calligraphy.

Banquets

Banquets are elaborate affairs that require extensive planning; in addition to the factors necessary for a weekly or monthly club meeting, you have to consider decorations, entertainment, audiovisual facilities, speaker fees, and seating charts. Its often necessary to follow up on potential attendees because they don't typically respond to one RSVP registration.

Staff & Committee Meetings

Before scheduling a staff or committee meeting, ask if the meeting is really necessary. You can make meetings more effective if you distribute an agenda in advance, adhere to a schedule, and keep people from going off on tangents.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Transportation

Buses. Vans. Parking.

Wi Fi

Can the building's network support all the attendees who nay be tweeting, checking their messages, or downloading material from various websites?

Corporate Sponsorships Require Strategic Thinking

Can the company afford to fulfill this obligation; the sponsorship fee is just the starting point; count on doubling it to advertise your brand and your involvement. Is the event in question compatible with the company's values or mission statement? Does the event reach the organization's target audience? Are the event organizers experienced and professional? Will the field representatives be able to use this event to increase sales? Does the event give the organization opportunities to develop new contracts or business opportunities? Can you make a multiple year contract that guarantees pushing the company's values on a regular, consistent basis? Is there an opportunity to get employee involvement and raise morale? Is the event compatible with the organization's identity or products? Can you do a trade off of products to help reduce costs?

Meals

Club meetings and workshops often occur at a mealtime. In fact, many meetings include breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Larger Group Meetings

Club or association meetings, workshops, and seminars require you to consider such factors as time, location, seating, facilities, invitations, name tags, menu, speakers, registration, and costs.

Receptions & Cocktail Parties

Cocktail parties and receptions require restrictions on how much alcohol can be consumed. There are two types of cocktail parties; one is the hosted one often paid for by organizations; the second kind is the no host one where guests pay for their own drinks and the host only supplies the facility and finger foods.

Conventions

Conventions and conferences require planners who can handle multiple situations at once over the course of several days; a convention may include large meetings, cocktail parties, receptions, tours, and banquets. Event planners often work years in advance finding a desirable location, booking hotel space, and ensuring that facilities have sufficient bandwidth. Cost is a major concern for all event planners; budgets must be realistic for projected revenue from registered attendees. Speakers for a convention should be booked months in advance.

How to Plan An Open House - Food & Beverages

Decide on the menu. Arrange for catering and volunteer services. Arrange for cleanup.

How to Plan An Open House - Equipment & Decorations

Determine what equipment is available from your organization. Arrange for necessary rentals, such as tables, chairs, or an outdoor tent. Arrange for table linens, plates, and silverware. Plan flowers in strategic locations.

How to Plan An Open House - Tours

Develop a floor plan for tours to ensure consistency. Arrange a regular tour schedule, such as every thirty minutes. Offer an incentive to those who complete the tour. Brief tour guides on how to give the tour and how to recieve questions. Arrange visuals such as a display or demonstration during the tour.

Online Invites Make It Easy to RSVP

Email invitations are used for any number of corporate events, including a college student's party celebrating their 21st birthday. Evite, for example, sends more than 700,000 invitations daily and has become a household name. Another firm, Paperless Post, offers a more formal invitation that requires one from a stationary shop.

Use a Round Table

Everyone has equal positional status and equal access to each other. The next best alternative is a square table.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Entertainment

Fees for booked talent.

Ten Tips For Tweeting At Conventions

Follw keynote speakers and presenters ahead of time. Tweet conference hashtags. Use an app like TweetCaster to monitor them. Attribute the speaker's social media and highlight his or her Twitter handle if possible. Create a Twitter list for the convention and add speakers and attendees. Save space and shorten URL links using tools like Bit.ly. Posting photos and infographics can increase exposure. Acknowledge tweets by others. Always engage with people who interact with you. Put a face to your handle and get together with your Twitter friends.

Convention Facilities

For every meeting or session of the convention, it is important to have everything you need for what is to occur in that room. The convention might start with a general meeting in a large ballroom, where seating is theatre style and the equipment includes a podium and speaking equipment with monitors.

Name Tags

For speakers? For all attendees?

Water & Glasses

For speakers? For audience?

How to Plan a Meeting - On the Meeting Day

Get a final count on reservations, and make an educated guess as to how many people will arrive at the door without a reservation. Check the speaker's travel plans and last minute requests or reservations. Give the catering manager a revised final count for meal services; in many instances, this might have to be done 24 to 72 hours before the meeting day. Check room arrangements one to two hours before the meeting; have enough tables been set up; are tables arranged correctly for the meeting; does the muscrophone system work? Prepare a timetable for the meeting's events; for example, cocktails may be scheduled from 6:15 to seven p.m., with registration going on at the same time; dinner may be from seven to eight p.m., followed by ten minutes of announcements; at 8:10 p.m., the speaker will have twenty minutes to talk, followed by an additional ten minutes for questions; your organizational leaders, as well as the serving staff, should be aware of this schedule; the program for the event may be an internal document for organizers, or it could also be distributed to the attendees. Set up a registration table just inside or outside the door; a typed list of reservations should be available, as well as name tags, meal tickets, and a cash box for making change; personnel at the registration table should be briefed and in place at least thirty minutes before the scheduled time. Decide on a seating place for the head table, organize place cards, and tell VIPs as they arrive where they will be sitting. Designate three or four members of the hospitality committee to greet guests.

Convention Attendance

Getting people to attend a convention requires two things: an appealing program and a concerted effort to persuade members to attend. Announcements and plans should go out several months in advance to allow attendees preparation time for travel. A second or even a third email blast is done a few weeks before the convention. Reply forms should be provided, accompanied by online hotel reservation forms.

Profile of An Event Planner

Go by many names: conference planner, meeting planner, or event specialist. Plan an average of five to nine meetings annually. Spend an average of two weeks on the road. Get an average of five or six hours of sleep during the planning stage of an event. Often work fifteen to twenty hour days. Worry a lot about technology problems such as having bandwidth problems at a convention or trade show. Consider cost as the most important factor in choosing a venue; the next most important are location and then food options at the venue. Select Canada as the top international location. Believe they need one or two meetings a week with an employer to plan an event. Consider the biggest challenge they face to be rising cost of food, hotels, and convention facilities.

Safety

Hazards should be conspicuously marked and well lit. Dangerous equipment should be barricaded.

How to Plan An Open House - Activities & Entertainment

Health education displays or screenings. A road race. Games, a magician, or a storyteller for the children. A local band. A short questionare to evaluate community opinions on various issues.

Hospitality Suites

Hospitality suites are an adjunct to the exhibit booth. Organizations use them to entertain key prospects, give more in depth presentations, and talk about business deals.

Location

If the meeting is to be held on the premises of the organization, the room can be reserved by contacting whoever is responsible for such arrangements. If the meeting is to be held at some outside location, you will have to talk to the person in charge. In a hotel or restaurant, that person is the catering manager. In a school, it may be the principal. In a church, the minister or priest.

Restrooms

If you are expecting a large crowd, arrange for portable toilets along with any toilets already there for the public. The American Restroom Association recomends at least one toilet for every 300 guests, but portable potty companies often recommend at least four toilets for every 500 people for a four hour event. More toilets are needed, however, if alcoholic beverages are served.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Design & Printing

Invitations. Programs. Tickets. Name tags. Promotional flyers.

How to Plan An Open House - Media Relations

Invite the media personality by mail. Develop and distribute press releases about the event. Arrange for media coverage on the day of the open house. Arrange for a photographer to cover the event.

Lighting

Is it adequate? Can it be controlled? Where are the controls? Who will handle them?

Speaker's Podium

Is it positioned properly? What about a reading light? Is there a PA system? Is it working?

Meeting Identification

Is it posted on the bulletin board near the meeting entrance? Are directional signs needed?

Know Robert's Rules of Order

It may be unnecessary in an informal, friendly meeting, but knowledge of parliamentary procedure is helpful with time as well as ending with a vote.

Charging Stations

It's impractical to provide electrical outlets for everybody in a meeting room, but charging stations are often provided in the foyer of the room.

Distribute the Agenda & Other Materials In Advance

Let people know what will be discussed or decided, so they can think about the issues before the meeting. Experts recommend that you prioritize the agenda and plan only two or three topics.

Administration

Managing a convention is a strenuous job. The organization's staff is unlikely to see the fruit of their labors and instead just fixing problems and glitches that keep popping up.

A World Filled With Meetings & Events

Meetings are an important tool in public relations because they let people interact in real time, using all five senses, hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste. Events and meetings don't just happen; they must be planned with attention to every detail; nothing can be left to chance.

Name Tags (Meeting Registration)

Name tags are a good idea at almost any meeting. You should use advanced software to make name tags for everybody registered to attend. Names should be printed in bold, block letters so that they can be easily read from a distance of four feet. If the person's affiliation is used, this can be in smaller bold letters.

How to Plan An Open House - Open House Announcement

Notify employees and recruit their assistance. Invite staff and families, if appropriate. Develop your mailing list. Design and print invitations. Arrange advertising. Prepare and distribute press releases and posters. Create radio and TV spots.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Food Service

Number of meals to be served. Cost per person. Gratuities. Refreshments for breaks. Bartenders for cocktail hours. Wine, beer, liquor, soft drinks.

Limit Attendance

Only those who are directly involved should be invited.

Open Houses & Plant Tours

Open houses and plant tours require meticulous planning and routing, careful handling of visitors, and thorough training of all personnel who will be in contact with the visitors. There must be planning for parking, portable potties, and places for people to sit down.

Vehicles

Parking must be available, and there should be a map on the invitation explaining how to get there and where to park.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Office Expenses

Phones. Supplies. Complimentary tickets. Staff travel and expenses. Data processing.

How to Do Media Relations At a Trade Show

Plan major product announcements to coincide with the show. Include the name of the trade show in your news releases, so journalists using databases can log on using the name of the trade show. Include your booth number in all releases and announcements. Make it easy for journalists to make contact by sharing phone numbers, Twitter hashtags, and email addresses in your materials. Have your spokesperson trained to answer the questions most likely to be asked. Consider a looped video to run in the booth, with copies available to the media. Provide photos that show the product in use, in production, or in development. Provide online corporate logos, product photos, executive profiles, media kits, and PowerPoint presentations for those with heavy suitcases or those who prefer everything in a digital format.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Postage

Postage for invitations. Mailing house charges.

Recreation

Recreation is a feature of practically all conventions. This may range from informal get togethers to formal dances, cocktail parties, golf tournaments, sightseeing tours, and shopping. Sometimes recreational events are planned to coincide with regular events. These are attended by spouses and by delegates who'd rather relax than listen to a speaker. Evening receptions and dinners at fancy locales are often anticipated to have spouses come.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Facilities

Retal of meeting or reception rooms. Setup of podiums, microphones, projectors, and screens. Wi fi and bandwidth capability.

Routing

Routes should be well marked and logical. A map should be given to each guest if the route is long and complicated.

How to Plan An Open House - Initial Planning

Select and research the date. Set up your committes or areas of responsibility. Determine your budget.

Planning An Exhibit Booth

Select the best trade shows that have the greatest odds of generating future interest and sales. Start developing and planning your exhibit six to twelve months in advance; exhibit designers and builders need time to build a booth. Make the display or booth visually attractive; use bright colors, large signs, and working models of products. Think about putting action in your display; have a video or slide presentation running all the time. Use involvement techniques; have a contest or raffle in which visitors can win a prize; an exhibitor at one show even offered free foot massages. Give people an opportunity to operate equipment or do something. Have knowledgable, personable representatives to answer any questions and get visitor business cards for follow ups. Offer useful souveniers, often called swag; a key chain, a shopping bag, a luggage tag, or even a copy of a popular newspaper or magazine will generate traffic. Promote your exhibit in advance; send newsletters to people and media kits to influencial bloggers four to six weeks before the trade show.

Budget Time

Set a time limit for discussion of a specific agenda item. Do not spend an excessive amount of time on items that shortchange other items on the agenda.

How to Plan An Open House - Reception

Set up a staffed reception table with a sign in book. Distribute information on your organization and giveaways. Have staff explain the activities to the guests.

How to Plan a Meeting - After the Meeting

Settle accounts with the restaurant, or indicate where an itamized bill should be mailed. Check the room to make sure no one forgot briefcases, handbags, eyeglasses, or other belongings. Send thank you notes to committee members and anybody who helped plan the meeting. Prepare a summary of the speaker's comments for the organization's newsletter.

Explanation

Signs, charts, and diagrams may be needed at any time to complement the words of the guides. The guides must be coached to say exactly what the public needs to hear. Many experts can't explain what they do, so a prepared explanation is necessary.

Speakers

Speakers should be selected early, several months in advance, if possible. They should be chosen because of their expertise, their crowd drawing capacity, and their speaking ability. It is a good idea to listen to the speaker before anything is finalized, or at least discuss your intention with someone who has heard the speaker speak before. Many prominent people are not effective speakers.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Decorations

Table decorations. Direction signs.

Set a Time Limit

The agenda should clearly state the beginning and ending time of a meeting, so people can plan their day. A meeting should run a maximum of sixty to ninety minutes. The longer the meeting runs, the less effective it is.

Distribute a Summary Memo

The chair or secretary should distribute a memo about the meeting a day after the meeting. This helps remind people what was decided.

Manage the Meeting

The chairperson must make sure the meeting stays on track. Do not allow an individual or group to go on tangents.

Exhibits

The makers and sellers of supplies attend conventions to sell their wares. This means the conference manager must provide them suitable space to show them off. Most large convention centers have space for anything from books to bulldozers. There is a charge for the use of these rooms, and the exhibitors pay for the space they use.

What to Tell Speakers Before Meeting

The meeting's sponsor and who us expected to attend. Meeting purpose and objectives. Presentation location, including meeting room, date, and hour. Topic and length of presentation. Anticipated size of the audience. Session format, including length of time allowed for audience questions. Names of those sharing the platform, if any, and their topics. Name of person who will make the introductions. Speaker fee or honorarium. Travel and housing arrangements. Meeting room setup and staging information. Audiovisual equipment needed. Dress code. Request to speaker for presentation outline, handout material. Signed release to record or videotape the remarks. Arrangements for spouse, if invited.

Housekeeping & Attire

The premises should be as clean as possible. Attore should be clean and appropriate. A punch press operator doesn't need to wear a necktie, but his overalls need not be greasy.

Day & Hour

The time must be convenient for both the organization and the guests.

Publicity & Invitations

These materials should be distributed at least a month before the event.

Guests

These may be families of employees, customers, representatives of the community, suppliers and competitors, reporters, or others whose goodwill is desirable.

Timing

Timing must be convenient for the people who are expected to attend. Avoid peak work periods. Summer vacation is appropriate for educators, and after harvest is suitable for farmers. Preholiday periods are bad for retailers, and midwinter is probably a bad time for the middle United States but good in the south. Here, as in every area dealing with the public, it is imperative to know your audience and plan for their convenience.

Guides

Tours should be led that explain what can be done at the event and where everything is.

Trade Shows

Trade shows are the ultimate marketing events and recueve millions of attendees annually; exhibit booths may cost from $50,000 to $1,000,000. An essential part of any trade show is a newsroom where journalists have access to computers, telephones, and phones.

Making a Budget For a Banquet - Miscellaneous

VIP travel and expenses. Speaker fees. Security. Photographers and videographers.

Using a Celebrity

What exactly do you want the celebrity to do? Whom do you want to appeal to by having a celebrity; is it the public, the media, or the sponsors? What do you want to accomplish by having a celebrity participate; sell tickets or add glamour? What are the demographics of your audience and the attendees? What is your budget? What is the maximum you're willing to spend for the right celebrity? Are you prepared to pay for first class expenses and possibly a staff person for the celebrity? Do you have access to any perks or gifts that will make the celebrity say yes?

How to Plan a Meeting - In Advance

What is the purpose of the meeting; business; social; continuing education; combination? What date and time are best for maximum attendance? What size audience do you realistically expect? Select the restaurant facility up to four or six weeks in advance. Confirm the following in writing: date, time, menu, cocktails, seating plan, number of guaranteed reservations, and projected costs. Enlist the speaker four to six weeks in advance; if the speaker is in high demand, make arrangements several months in advance; discuss the nature of the talk, its projected length, and whether audiovisual aids will be used that require special equipment. Publicize the meeting to the membership and other interested parties; this should be done a minimum of three weeks in advance; provide complete information on speaker, date, time, location, meal costs, and reservation procedure. Organize a phone meeting to call members 72 hours in advance if reservations are lacking; a reminder phone call is often helpful in snagging last minute reservations.