CChhaapptteerr FFoouurr
Initial Planning
As every military campaign, every business enterprise, and every building
starts with a plan, so does every meeting or event. Even meetings arranged
by people with no prior experience follow some sort of plan, albeit some
successful meetings seem to achieve their goals by chance rather than by
design. The professional conference organizer must be a consummate plan-
ner with a good measure of manager, strategist, educator, creative director,
financial manager and diplomat thrown in. During the planning and subse-
quent phases the PCO will call on all those skills. At the initial planning
phase, the following tasks are performed, either by the PCO and the meet-
ing staff, or in concert with other executives:
z Define and establish the objective
z Determine whether the meeting is needed
z Establish a time-frame and agenda
z Develop an overall theme
z Prepare a task analysis and master timetable
z Determine number and profile of attendees
z Set up appropriate internal and external communication procedures
z Prepare initial budget and get approval as needed
z Formulate tentative program in concert with participating departments
z Prepare a meeting profile and prospectus
z Research, inspect and select destination utilizing websites and/or
personal visits. Identify and evaluate hotels and other facilities to fit
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the type of meeting, with particular attention to conference facili-
ties, services, rooms and food service
z Prepare and convey Request for Proposal (RFP) to likely venues.
z Negotiate hotel rooms, food and beverage rates, facilities and services
z Negotiate and arrange air and surface transportation; appoint official
airline if appropriate; screen destination management companies
z Research and evaluate support services and verify by networking
z Design and implement promotion program. Produce promotional
materials
z Refine business and social agendas; contact speakers bureau for
recommendations; book speakers; request confirmations, outlines,
etc.
z Determine entertainment needs; audition and book acts and musicians
z Select audiovisual and exhibit contractors and other support services
z Plan F&B functions; review menus; review beverage controls
z Formulate shipping plan for freight, exhibits, meeting materials
z Follow-up and confirm all arrangements in writing.
Beholding this immensity of detail, it’s difficult for the meeting professional
to realize that not everyone holds meetings in the same reverence.
The late comedian, Fred Allen, defined a meeting as “. . . a group of men
who individually can do nothing but as a group decide nothing can be done.’’
And the prestigious MANAGE magazine suggested: “Doing nothing by
yourself can be called laziness at worst, relaxation at best. But, doing
nothing in a group often has another name. It’s called a meeting.’’
Regrettably, far too many corporate managers share this cavalier attitude,
viewing the meeting as an infringement on executive time, even while rec-
ognizing its necessity. Often this biased perspective filters down to middle
management and field staff who sometimes resent being pulled off the fir-
ing line. (Though one would not suspect, judging from their copious con-
sumption of spirits and iced shrimp at the meeting site.)
Seasoned PCOs counter such negative influences by insisting –
sometimes to the point of irritation – that valid objectives be set before
the planning begins. In spite of their efforts a surprising number of
organizations call a meeting “. . . because it’s June and we always have
our meeting in June.’’ Given that “always’’ factor, it can be argued that as
long as there’s going to be a meeting, wouldn’t it be nice if it was in
support of some organizational objective?
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SETTING OBJECTIVES
Detractors notwithstanding, Webster defines a meeting as, “. . . an assem-
bly of people for a specific purpose.’’
Adopting that guideline, and at the risk of oversimplification, a meeting’s
purpose can be fairly broad: to inform, to educate, to change attitudes, to
solve problems, to generate ideas, to motivate, to persuade. Objectives, on
the other hand, need to be more narrowly defined and related to organiza-
tional goals. They must be clearly articulated, easily understood and read-
ily achieved. Some examples might be:
z To introduce the company’s product line for the coming year
z To inform members of the impact of tax reform on our industry
z To explain the benefits of the merger and ensure a smooth transition
z To acquaint attendees with current advances in state-of-the-art
z To achieve a 10% increase in convention attendance
Having defined and articulated the objectives (there can be more than
one), it is the PCO’s and management’s responsibility to ask the pointed
question: “Can this be achieved by means other than a meeting?’’ It takes a
great deal of fortitude and integrity for a meeting planner to talk manage-
ment out of having a meeting. But if one accepts the stated premise that the
PCO is also a financial manager, that decision must at times be made.
THE MEETING PROFILE
The character and nature of the meeting and its various elements are deter-
mined by the objective and are formulated in the Meeting Profile, the
PCO’s blueprint. In its simplest form, it covers the journalist’s “Five W’s”:
WHAT? Type of event such as annual convention,
incentive meeting, exhibition, seminar,
web conference, symposium, etc.
WHY? Objective: Rationale for holding the meeting
and expected results.
WHO? Participants: Brief description of who will attend
such as corporate and sales staff, association
membership, delegates, presenters, dealers, field managers,
spouses/guests, non-members, user groups.
(Includes estimated accommodations required.)
WHEN? Proposed Dates: Targeted month or range of
dates, to include arrival›departure pattern; specific
dates if known.
Initial Planning
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WHERE? Destination: Domestic or international; city hotel or
resort; conference center or specific venue if established.
Ideally, the WHEN and WHERE at this stage should be as broad as
possible to afford the organization maximum discretion and negotiating
leverage.
It is possible to begin some of the initial planning using the meeting pro-
file as a guide. The PCO can start researching sites and facilities, since the
time of year and rooming needs are known. But at this point one may have
to speculate on the program and, consequently, the required meeting space.
Meeting history can be a valuable guide in estimating space requirements.
THE PROSPECTUS
Carrying the blueprint analogy further, the meeting profile is no more than
a rough floor plan. As decisions are made and information gathered, it is
refined to resemble an architect’s rendering, with elevations and detailed
diagrams and becomes the Meeting Prospectus (some call it the Meeting
Specifications – yet another allusion to architecture).
The Five Ws are expanded as the planning continues and these elements
are added:
z Theme: Usually reflects objective or locale or both.
z Subject Matter: A list of topics in support of meeting objectives
z Format: Method of presentation for each topic to achieve optimum
results and efficiency, such as plenary sessions, breakouts or discus-
sion groups, seminars, panels, workshops, case method, etc.
z Business Agenda: The program continuity from opening address,
to closing session; delineating types of sessions and presentation
formats, includes meeting enhancers, bridges, continuity links
and presenter names – if known – or profiles, (e.g. “financial
analyst’’)
• Social Agenda: Receptions, meal functions, recreational events, and
both organized and optional leisure activities
• Guest Agenda: Special programs for invited guests, spouses, children
• Budget: Tentative overall budget showing projected fixed and
variable expenses. Projects registration fees and income if applicable
• Registration and Reception: Registration forms, policies and fees,
deadlines; on-line registration; on-site reception and registration of
attendees, exhibitors, speakers, guests etc.
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z Transportation: Plans for transporting staff and participants to and
from site, official airline website, transfers and surface transporta-
tion; shipment of freight, exhibits, products and meeting materials
z Support Services: Resources required on site, such as clerical staff,
telecom and computer systems, audiovisual equipment and techni-
cians, exhibit contractor, decoration, security, convention aides,
photographer, ground operator and volunteers.
At the time of this book’s publication, APEX – an industry-wide panel
composed of event professionals – has been working on developing uniform
Best Practices for the events industry. The APEX Terminology Panel, is
Initial Planning
35
FIGURE 4-1 Meeting Prospectus.
MEETING PROSPECTUS
Organization: Proposed Dates:
Site: Proposed:___ Confirmed:___
Type of Event: Attendance Range:
Event Manager: Phone: Fax:
Address: e-mail:
Accommodations: Date Single Double Suites Special
Meeting Rooms: Date
Capacity Rooms Purpose
Setup
Functions Date Type of Event Guests Requirements
Leisure Activities:
Special Requirements:
Remarks:
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