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Tips for making your meeting a success
By Susan Buntjer, CMP, RCAC conference management specialist
Planning a successful conference, meeting, training or other event for an organization, whether nonprofit or for profit, is a complex process. The key to a successful event, large or small, lies in preparation, organization and actual management of the affair. To begin planning, important questions need to be answered first, for example:
What is the purpose of the conference?
TIP #1: Write a clear, concise mission statement about the conference purpose.
The objective for a conference or meeting, of any size, needs to be crystal clear. One way to define the objective is to gather key stakeholders and answer a series of questions, such as:
- Is the conference purpose to offer industry updates, discuss trends, provide networking or celebrate an achievement?
- Is the sponsor goal to make a profit?
- Will participants feel energized, uplifted or entertained?
- Will the tone be educational or motivational?
- Will there be a need for sophisticated audio visual equipment or inspirational speakers?
The objective is the vehicle that drives all other decisions in the conference planning process.
For example, every three years, RCAC conducts a national rural development conference which more than 750 persons attend. The three major objectives of the 2007 RCAC conference were:
- To create a forum that blends the best of research, practice and policy to promote healthy development of the local and national rural network.
- To discover what participants can learn from one another.
- To provide consistent, quality training using well-known leaders and rural practitioners to represent the broad spectrum of rural America .
Who will attend or who is the target audience?
TIP #2: In one sentence, write who should attend the conference and why.
Understanding the demographics of potential participants, and why they will attend is another critical aspect of planning a conference. Determining the target market's needs and expectations will assist the planner to prepare for the event. Some questions to answer are:
- Is attendance mandatory or voluntary?
- Who is paying the registration fee and expenses for the participants?
- Are continuing education credits an important factor for the participants?
- Are networking opportunities important?
At the RCAC national conference, registration was open to all those who work in environmental systems management, water and wastewater system operation and maintenance, solid waste management planning, nonprofit organization financial and administrative management, affordable housing, housing counseling, community development in Indian Country, agricultural worker health and housing programs, financing for rural communities and network development.
TIP #3: Know in advance what the financial goals are for the conference.
To develop a viable conference budget, first determine the financial goal. Is the goal to break even or produce a profit? Once these aspects are considered, then a budget can be developed.
In general, being conservative — estimating income on the low side and expenses on the high side — is a good way to mitigate unexpected negative factors.
The next step in budget development is to list all possible conference expenses and categorize them as fixed or variable. Fixed expenses are those that will occur no matter how many participants there are (for example, meeting room rental or speaker fees). Variable costs are those that will change based on the number of participants (for example, refreshments and handouts).
After determining the expenses, then develop an income budget that lists potential income from all sources, such as registration fees, sponsorships and grants. The conference financial outcome will be clear to the planner once the income and expenses are listed. This information will assist the planner to make any necessary adjustments, such as increasing revenue or decreasing expenses, depending on the conference financial goals.
The 2007 RCAC conference financial goal was to generate enough revenue through registration fees and sponsorships to cover all expenses and scholarships for 50 people who otherwise could not have attended.
TIP #4: The program content usually is the most important reason to hold a conference.
Once the conference purpose is known, participants are identified and a budget is developed, then it is time to plan the program and identify the best speakers. Knowing the audience is essential for designing a program that will serve their educational and professional needs.
The best way to identify the needs of potential participants is to review evaluations from past conferences, or if this is a new conference, conduct a needs analysis.
After gathering the participant needs information, decide on the conference topics and format. The topics and format should address the determined needs. Will there be general sessions (sessions that all participants attend), how many concurrent training sessions are needed, and how many networking or social times are needed in the schedule? Presentation formats may include lectures, panels, case studies, small group discussions, demonstrations or any other structure that will achieve the conference purpose.
RCAC offered 150 training sessions at its national conference. Topics included were:
- Transforming Conflict into Action
- Basics of Accounting for 502 Loans
- Internal Systems: How to Track Your Housing Counseling Clients
- Water and Wastewater Basics
- Working in Indian Country
- Financing Sources for Farm Worker Housing
TIP #5: Write specifications for the conference to present to the facilities being considered.
No matter how large or small, location is crucial to the conference success. The venue will help set the appropriate mood and ambiance, but first the conference objectives and physical requirements should be known. To determine suitable locations, first answer the following questions:
- Is the conference limited to a certain date or time period, or are the dates flexible?
- If the participants will require sleeping rooms, how many rooms will be needed each night? Will some of the participants need government per diem room rates?
- Will there be general sessions and how many people will attend each one?
- How many concurrent sessions will be offered and how many people will attend each session?
- What meal functions and what refreshments, if any, will be served during the conference?
- How many total attendees are expected?
- Will there be informational display tables for sponsors or exhibitors?
- Will an area for registration be needed?
- Will any of the participants have disabilities that require special accommodation?
- Will there be any ancillary or smaller meetings before, during or after the conference in the same facility?
- Will the location require restaurants that are within walking distance?
- How convenient and affordable is air travel to the conference location?
- Will participants bring spouses or children who will want recreational activities nearby?
TIP #6 : A marketing strategy is the plan of action for getting people to attend the conference.
Participant recruitment and sponsor promotion are usually the main goals when planning a conference marketing strategy. The primary tools used to market conferences are direct mail, press releases, advertising, websites and e-marketing. A typical marketing plan includes all of these elements and aims for a consistent message and look.
Important items to include in marketing materials are dates; location; hotel rates; conference costs; payment options; policies and procedures (such as refunds); deadlines; how to register; continuing education credits; and the program content and schedule along with a list of keynote speakers. Budget and timing are the most important factors in determining how to market a conference.
RCAC uses a combination of marketing strategies to announce its national conference. The marketing strategy begins at least one year in advance with a save-the-date postcard and continues throughout the year with press releases, a registration brochure, and announcements on RCAC’s website and in its publications.
TIP #7: A final report summarizing conference results is critical for planning the next conference.
After a conference, it is important to consider what worked, what didn’t, and what can be improved. Ask for written feedback from participants, exhibitors and staff members about the program content, the conference location or venue, any special or social events, the speakers, and any other unique aspects of the conference. This evaluation process will help determine if the conference goals were met and also provide useful information for planning the next conference.
It is important to share a written report with sponsors and stakeholders after the conference that summarizes the participant evaluations, provides statistics about total number of participants, attendance numbers for individual sessions, and a detailed final financial summary.
For example, 700 participants (65 through scholarships) from 13 Western states attended the conference; there were 150 workshops; each workshop had 15 to 30 participants; and overall, 75 percent of the evaluations gave a very good to excellent rating.
Finally, the planning cycle is not complete without thanking those who made the conference a success. Letters or handwritten thank you notes are most appreciated and need to be sent to sponsors, speakers, staff, volunteers, key staff at the venue and any others who contributed. If a professional conference planner is used, it is also important to thank her/him.
Summary
With good planning, conferences can be a powerful communication tool for solving problems, providing training, networking and stimulating new ideas.
Also, in case you need assistance, RCAC’s professional conference management services are available nationwide. For more information, contact Linda Petta, CMP, RCAC conference and training events manager at lpetta@rcac.org.
AT A GLANCE CONFERENCE SUCCESS TIPS
Tip #1 – Write a clear, concise mission statement about the purpose of the conference.
Tip #2 – In one sentence, write who should attend the conference and why.
Tip #3 – Know in advance what the financial goals are for the conference.
Tip #4 – The program content usually is the most important reason to hold a conference.
Tip #5 – Write specifications for the conference to present to the facilities being considered.
Tip #6 – A marketing strategy is the plan of action for getting people to attend the conference.
Tip #7 – A final report summarizing the conference results is critical for planning the next conference.
Re-published from RCAC’s Rural Review for the opportunity finance industry
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