PR Exam 3

How much are speakers for banquets?

$5,000 to $10,000 for "bread and butter" business-type talks; $15,000 or more for minor entertainment celebrities; $100,000 or more for well-known for well-known politicians and celebrities

If all of the attendees at a meeting know one another, what is the registration and identification like?

It can be highly informal

What is the focus of a cocktail party?

The interaction, not speeches; if there is a ceremony or speech it should last a maximum of 5 to 10 minutes

True or False: Meetings and events come in all forms and sizes

True; a civic club committee meeting or office staff meeting can have 4-5 people while corporate seminars may be presented to 50-250 people; trade shows like the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas attract 150,000 people in a four-day period

True or False: If fewer people than expected show up to a meal function, the organization still must pay for all the meals

True

True or False: Many journalists assigned to trade shows want to hear about the company an product news before the show even starts

True

True or False: Many meetings include breakfast, lunch, or dinner

True

True or False: Many organizations rotate their conventions from one part of the state, region, or country to another to equalize travel burdens

True

True or False: Open houses are customarily one-day affairs but may be extended if large numbers of people are likely to attend?

True

True or False: Planning for even the smallest convention should start months before the scheduled date

True

True or False: The size and purpose of a meeting dictates the specifics of its plan

True

True or False: Well conceived timelines are crucial when organizing a banquet

True

True or False: A critical consideration for conventions is location, location, location

True; National conventions can be held anywhere but Alaska is unlikely; Honolulu could be great

True or False: Most receptions have a hosted bar meaning drinks are free

True; it is favored when hosting for journalists, customers or community leaders

True or False: Name tags are a good idea at almost any meeting

True; label-making software can prepare name tags for everyone with advance reservations; names should be printed in bold, large block letters so they can be read at a distance of four feet; if the attendee affiliation is included on the name tags, it can be presented in smaller bold letters; on-the spot name tags with pens available for those without advance registration

How is the count of attendees dealt with in a meal function?

The hotel or restaurant facility will need a count at least 24 hours in advance to prepare the food and set up the table; Standard practice is for the organization to guarantee a certain number of meals, plus or minus 10 percent

How should a speaker for a meeting or event be chosen?

Because of their expertise, crowd-drawing capacity, and speaking ability

True or False: Effective meetings and events just happen

False; Detailed planning and logistics are essential to ensure that defined objectives are achieved

What is the price of a ticket dependent on for a banquet?

How much the organization is paying and its speaker

Why do large events require extensive planning and logistics?

To ensure there is adequate space, security, liability insurance, and even portable potties

What are the two basic things required to get people to attend a convention?

1. An appealing program 2. A concerted effort to persuade members to attend

What are the major factors to consider in planning an open house?

1. Day and Hour: The time must be convenient for both the organization and the guests 2. Guests: Invite families of employees, customers, representatives of the community, government officials, suppliers and competitors, reporters or others whose goodwill is desirable 3. Publicity and Invitations: Materials should be distributed at least a month before the event

What should be done in advance for a meeting according to the to do list?

1. Determine the best date and time to ensure maximum attendance; 2. Make a realistic estimate of how many people will attend; 3. select the restaurant or other facility at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance; 4. Confirm in writing the date, time, menu, cocktails, seating plan, number of guaranteed reservations, and projected costs; 5. Enlist one or more speakers 4 to 6 weeks in advance. If a speaker is in high demand, make the arrangements several months in advance. Agree on the nature of the talk, its length, and any audiovisual requirements; 6. Publicize the meeting to the membership and other interested parties. This activity should be done a minimum of three weeks in advance; 7. Organize a phone committee to call member 72 hours before the event if reservations are lagging; 8. Prepare a timetable for the evening's event. Organizational leaders, as well as the serving staff, should be aware of this schedule; 9. Decide on a seating plan for the head table, organize place cards. You can tell VIPs as they arrive where they will be sitting

How could one increase event attendance via web tools?

1. Email invitations 2. Electronic tracking 3. Social media

For what two reasons do organizations believe that it is worth it to go to a trade show?

1. Facilitates one-on-one communication with customers and helps generate sales leads 2. Booth allows exhibitor to demonstrate how products differ from competition

What should be considered for an event budget?

1. Facilities: Rental or meeting or reception rooms; setup of podiums, microphones, and presentation equipment 2. Food Service: Number of meals to be served; cost per person; gratuities; bartenders for cocktail hours; wine, liquor, and soft drinks 3. Decorations: Table decorations; direction signs 4. Design and Printing: Invitations; programs; tickets; name tags 5. Postage: Postage for invitations or publicity; mailing house charges 6. Recognition Items: Awards, plaques, and trophies 7. Miscellaneous: VIP travel and expenses; speaker fees; security 8. Transportation: Buses, vans, parking 9. Entertainment: Fees 10. Publicity: Advertising, news releases, banners 11. Office Expenses: Phones, supplies, complimentary tickets, staff and travel expenses, data processing

What should be done on the meeting day of a meeting according to the to do list?

1. Get a final count on reservations, and make an educated guess as to how many people might arrive at the door without a reservation; 2. Check the speaker's travel plans and handle any last minute questions or requirements; 3. Give the catering manager a revised final count for meal service. In many instances, this might have to be done 24 to 72 hours in advance of the meeting day; 4. Check the room arrangements 1 to 2 hours in advance of the meeting. Have enough tables been set up? Are tables arranged correctly for the meeting? Does the microphone/projection system work?; 5. Set up a registration table just inside or outside the door; 6. Designate three or four members of the organization to serve as a hospitality committee to meet and greet newcomers and guests

What is a comprehensive checklist of things that speakers need to know about a meeting?

1. Information about the meeting sponsor and attendees 2. Meeting purpose and objectives 3. Presentation location, including meeting room, date, and hour 4. Topic and length of presentation 5 Anticipated size of the audience 6. Session format, including length of time allowed for audience questions 7. Names of those sharing the platform, if any, and their topics 8. Names of those sharing the platform, if any, and their topics 9. Name of person who will make the introductions 10. Speaker fee or honorarium 11. Travel and housing arrangements 12. Meeting room setup and staging information 13. A contact for audiovisual equipment requests 14. Dress code (business attire, resort wear, black tie) 15. Information about plans to tape or videotape the remarks (a release may be needed) 16. Arrangements for spouse, if invited

What are some questions that should be asked about the facilities for a meeting?

1. Meeting Identification: Is the name of the organization and meeting posted on the bulletin board near the building entrance? 2. Lighting: Is it adequate? Can it be controlled? Where are the controls? Who will handle them? 3. Charts: Are they readable? Is the easel adequate? Who will handle the charts? 4. Screen or Monitors: Are they large enough for the size of the audience? 5. Projectors and Video Equipment: Are they hooked up and working? Who is the contact at the facility if you have technical difficulties? 6. Seating and Tables: Are there enough seats for the expected audience? Are they arranged properly? 7. Speaker's Podium: Is it positioned properly? What about a reading light? Is there a public address (PA) system? Is it working? 8. Audience and Speaker Aids: Are there enough outlets for laptops? Is Wi-Fi available and, if so, how do audience members log on? Are there programs or agendas? Will there be notepaper, pencils, and handout materials?

What should be considered when planning a trade show?

1. Select appropriate sows that have the best potential for developing contacts and gathering in advance 2. Make the display or booth visually attractive 3. Involve visitors 4. Have knowledge 5. Offer useful souvenirs 6. Promote the exhibit in advance

What should be done after a meeting according to the to do list?

1. Settle accounts with the restaurant, or indicate where an itemized bill should be mailed; 2. Send thank you notes to the speaker and any committee members who helped plan or host the meeting; 3. Prepare a summary of the speaker's comments for the organization's blog and newsletter and, if appropriate, send a news release to local media

What are the main components covered in planning a convention?

1. Timing 2. Location 3. Facilities 4. Exhibits 5. Program 6. Recreation 7. Attendance 8. Administration

What should be considered for any open house or plant tour?

1. Vehicles: Parking must be available and the invitation should include a map showing how to get to the site and where to park 2. Reception: A representative of the organization should meet and greet all arriving guests 3. Restrooms: If a large crowd is expected, arrangements need to be made for portable toilers to supplement the regular facilities 4. Safety: Hazards should be conspicuously marked and well lighted; barricades should be places so as to prevent access to dangerous equipment 5. Routing: Routes should be well marked and logical (in a factory, the route should go from raw materials through production steps to the finished product) 6. Guides: Tour leaders should be trained guides who have a thorough knowledge of the organization and can explain in detail what visitors are seeing on the tour 7. Explanation: Signs, charts and diagrams to supplement the words of the guides; guides must be coached to say exactly what the public should be told; many experts cannot explain what they do so a prepared explanation is necessary 8. Housekeeping and Attire: Premises should be as clean as possible; attire should be clean and appropriate 9. Emergencies: Accidents or illness may occur; employees should know what to do and how to request appropriate medical assistance

What is a benefit of holding a meeting at a hotel?

Most hotels have a number of meeting rooms available, ranging in size from small to very large

What are most conventions held by?

National membership groups and trade associations

What kinds of equipment may be required at a convention?

A computer projector or a whiteboard or an easel or a DVD player and monitor

What is a banquet?

A fairly large and formal function; May be held to honor an individual, raise money for a charitable organization, or celebrate an event such as an organization's anniversary; Can have 100 or 1,000 people in attendance, which means it takes a great deal of planning, the budget needing particularly close attention

What is event planning?

A high-pressure, around-the-clock job where planners juggle multiple tasks and work down to the wire against crushing deadlines and a mountain of obstacles; For smooth event implementation, and for business success, it is essential that planners manage their own time as expertly as they manage an event

What are convention planners doing in an effort to save costs on schedules?

Offering electronic versions

What is a convention?

A series of meetings, usually spread over two or more days

What is the ultimate marketing event?

A trade show

How long should speakers speak during a dinner meeting?

About 20 minutes

What are hospitality suites?

Adjunct to the exhibit booth; result in product sales

What would be considered an adequate meeting invitation for clubs?

An announcement on the website, in the newsletter, a flyer, or an email

How early should speakers be selected for a meeting or event?

At least a month in advance, if possible

Why shouldn't programs be printed until the last possible moment?

Because speakers may have last-minute changes in their plans

What can marketing and PR professionals foster from meetings and events?

Brand awareness and loyalty

Why should an organizer find out how a facility will bill for beverages consumed at a cocktail party?

By the bottle can lead to a problem with bartenders being very generous because more empty bottles means higher profits for the caterer

What should be considered when setting the location and timing for a convention?

The convention audience and plan for audience members' convenience

True or False: Assorted expenses must be considered when establishing the per-ticket-cost of an event

True

What are luncheons?

Can be sit-down affairs with a fixed menu or buffet; A 30-45 minute cocktail period may precede, usually as guests arrive and register; A good schedule is: registration at 11:30 am, lunch at 12, adjournment at 1:30, in rare occurrences this can be at 2 but never later

What is a typical schedule for a dinner meeting?

Cocktails at 6, dinner at 7, speaker at 8, adjournment 8:30 and 9

True or False: Club meetings and workshops often occur at meal time

True

True or False: Dinner meetings are handled in much the same way as luncheons

True

How should exhibits and booths be designed?

Designed for maximum visibility; 10 seconds to attract customer; One up one another

What are the two entries on both sides of the ledger for an event?

Cost and revenue

What opportunity do trade shows provide?

To see new products form a number of companies, generate sales leads, and attract media coverage

What is a reception?

May last up to two hours; Large room where most people stand instead of sit; Arrangement facilitates social interaction and allows people to move freely around the room; Require advance planning and logistics; Requires coordination with the catering manager to order finger foods and decide how many bartenders are needed; One bartender per 75 people; Large events should have bars situated in several locations around the room to disperse the crowd and shorten lines

What do promotional events do?

Encourage sales, increase organizational visibility, make friends, and raise money for a charitable cause

To get everything right for a convention, what do organizers need to know?

Exactly what is to happen, who is going to participate, and when

What does the process for creating a timeline for a banquet look like?

First, it must be established for the entire process - from contacting catering managers to sending out invitations to lining up a speaker; Second, a detailed timeline must be drafted for the several days or day of the event to ensure that everything is in place; Third, a timeline for the event itself needs to be put in place, so that the event begins and ends at a reasonable time; Organizers must work out the logistics to ensure that registration lines are kept to a minimum and everyone is assigned to a table

How should food and drink be handled at receptions/cocktail parties?

Food must be served in the form of appetizers, finger sandwiches, cheese trays, nuts, and chips; People get hungry and food offsets effects of alcohol; Bar is the centerpiece but non alcoholic beverages should also be available - limit liability if someone drinks too much and has an accident on the way home; Having no host at the bar also limits liability because guests buy their own drinks

What common questions must be addressed with every plan?

How many people will attend? Who will attend? When and where will the event be held? How long will it last? Who will speak? Which topics will be covered? Which facilities will be needed? Who will run the meeting? What is its purpose? How do we get people to attend?

What does the printed program for a convention or a schedule show?

Identifies when and where each session will happen, and who will speak on what subject

Why must a meeting site be the right size for the expected audience?

If it is too large, the audience will feel that the meeting has failed to draw the expected attendance; If it is too small, the audience will be crowded and uncomfortable

How does the size of a group meeting dictate the welcome received by attendees?

If the number of people is not too large, a personal welcome is in order; If hundreds of people are expected, this kind of greeting isn't possible - a chairperson should greet the audience in their opening remarks

What is done at a banquet to compensate for fees outside the cost of an individual ticket?

In addition to sending out individual invitations, a committee is typically formed that solicits corporations and other businesses to sponsor the event or "buy" tables for employees, clients, or friends; ex. a corporate table for eight people may go for $25,000 or more, depending on the prestige and purpose of the event

What is attendance based on for open houses?

Invitation, but sometimes the event is announced in the general media and anyone can attend

What would be considered an adequate meeting invitation for external groups, or people who are not required to attend but their presence is desired?

Invitations must be sent in the mail or via email, and should go out early enough for people to fit the meeting into their schedules (3-6 weeks typically)

What are the advantages and disadvantages of securing a well-known personality to speak at banquet?

It helps boost ticket sales but is also a major expense item in a budget

If a group meeting is lagre, what is the registration and identification like?

It is customary to set up a registration desk or table at the entrance; A representative of the sponsoring program should be available at the entrance

True or False:

Large conventions often schedule different sessions at the same time, attendees choosing which to attend

What is one of the premier cities for large conventions in the US?

Las Vegas

What is it good to do before tendering an invitation to a speaker for a meeting or event?

Listen to any prospective speaker, or discuss the individual's speaking ability with an impartial person who has actually heard the speaker

What does the developor of a program do after a convention theme is chosen?

Look for prominent speakers who have something significant to say on a particular topic; discussions, workshops or other sessions focusing on aspects of the theme may be needed

When should the planning begin for large national conventions?

May begin several years ahead and require hundreds or thousands of hours of works

Why are conventions almost always out of town for many attendees?

Membership is widespread

What should be avoided when deciding on the date of a convention?

Peak work periods

What are the differences between plant tours and open houses?

Plant tours are geared to handle a few people at one time; Open houses have a large number of guests so engaging in normal operations is impossible

What is a feature of practically all conventions?

Recreation

What do organizations attending conventions frequently want to do?

Show off their wares, meaning that the convention manager must provide space suitable for that purpose; most large centers have facilities that can accommodate anything; a charge is assessed for the use of the rooms and exhibitors pay for their space

What is an appropriate time for a convention?

Summertime for educators, and after the harvest is a suitable schedule for farmers; pre-holiday periods are bad for retailers and mid-winter is a poor time in northern states, but may be good in the South

What is the major expense at a convention?

Th exhibit booth

Why is availability of accommodations an important factor in choosing a location for a convention?

The site must have enough rooms to house the attendees and enough meeting rooms of the right size; Timing matters because many considerations are booked months or years in advance; Once a tentative location has been selected, find out if the conventions can be handled at the time chosen (early action can forestall later changes)

What should be included in a meeting invitation?

The time, day, date, place (including room name), purpose, highlights of the program (including speakers) and way for a person to accept or decline; RSVP info may consist of a telephone number, email address, reply card mailed back to the event's organizers, or any online registration service; it is also good go include a map with the location and parking info

What is the advantage of early-morning breakfast meetings?

They attract people who cannot take the time during the day to attend such functions

What should happen when people arrive at the convention headquarters?

They must be met, registered, and provided with all the essentials (name tags, programs, etc.); Special arrangements should be made for the media (if large have newsroom with telephones, fax machines, Wi-Fi and computers)

What must a planner do after selecting a meeting room?

They must make sure that the audience members can find it; The name of the meeting or group and the name of the room should be registered on the hotel or restaurant's schedule of recents for a particular day

Why are meetings and events vital PR tools?

They provide an opportunity for an audience to gather face-to-face, in real time; In this era of digital communication and information overload, there is still a basic need to convene, to socialize, and to participate in group activities

Why do individuals attending meetings or events become emotionally involved in the process?

They use all five of their senses (hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste)

When organizing a banquet, how early should you contact the catering or banquet manager of the restaurant or hotel?

Three or four months before the event

Why are open houses and plant tours conducted?

To develop favorable public opinion about an organization; Show where the organization does its work and in plant tours how the work is done; Ex: factory has plant tour to show how it turns raw materials into finished products; hospital open house shows its emergency facilities, diagnostic equipment, operating rooms, and patient rooms

What is the goal of a cocktail party?

To encourage people to relax and socialize; it is a cost-effective way to celebrate an organization's or individual's achievement, to introduce a new chief executive to the employees and community or to allow groups to get together (ex. college alumni)

Why do people attend conventions?

To exchange information, meet with other people with similar interests, discuss and act on common problems, and enjoy recreation and social interchange

True or False: Every trade show has a press room where various exhibitors distribute media kits and other info to journalists

True; media kits should be short and relevant and offer newsworthy info; often complain that they are too thick and just a compilation fo sales brochures; press rooms have phone, fax, and wi-fi; competition is intense so PR professionals need to be creative in pitching ideas and showing why it merits a journalist's time in comparison to others

True or False: A convention program usually has a basic theme

True; most speeches and sessions dedicated to theme; themes can be specific or general

True or False: Starting a cocktail party is easy but stopping one is not

True; must close the bar, vocal announcement, do not rely on indicated time

True or False: Many plants offer tours daily and regularly while the plant is in operation

True; these are most common among producers of consumer goods such as beer, wine, food products, clothing and small appliances

What are the parts of a "to do" list for planning and hosting a successful meeting?

What to do in advance; What to do on the meeting day; What to do after the meeting day

What does the printed program handed out at a workshop or seminar tell the attendees?

What will happen, when, and where; Lists the speakers, the times when they will speak, coffee breaks, lunch breaks, and any other need-to-know facts