Planning your next meeting or conference can be a daunting task, as there are many details and logistics involved in producing a successful event. Here is a brief guideline to help you plan your next event:

Six to Eight Months In Advance

• Establish meeting theme and objectives
• Establish meeting budget
• Determine audience participants: size of group, facilitators, dignitaries etc.
• Select meeting date
• Contact venue sites: convention centers, conference facilities, hotels, convention and visitor bureaus
• Check references of other meeting planners that have booked the facility
• Select meeting locale and meeting site
• Decide on topics and speakers/trainers that will address the topics and objectives of meeting
• Contact speaker’s bureau to check on availability and speaker’s fee
• Are you having a celebrity concert? Now is the time to book your headliner entertainment.
• International considerations: Climate at time of meeting, cultural considerations, third-party vendor contact information, banking arrangements, receiving agents for shipments needing to be secured through customs, interpreter arrangements

Four to Six Months In Advance

• Decide on the length and the agenda of the meeting
• Inform attendees of date, place and objectives of meeting
• Finalize facility arrangements
• Decide on food and beverage arrangements
• Finalize the specific meeting rooms and layouts required
• Have all decisions finalized in contractual form including appropriate clauses for display or use of competitive goods and services, issues of attrition, indemnification, arbitration and other issues where appropriate
• Make all necessary hotel reservations for attendees attending out-of-town
• Contract with appropriate transportation services
• Decide on the use of giveaways. Order and confirm delivery date if applicable
• Arrange for any on-site communication needs such as internet provider, telephone accessibility, office services, pagers and cell phone accommodations etc.
• Make all arrangements for shipping materials and confirm

Three Months In Advance

• Determine what materials need to be reproduced.
• Determine what materials need to be included in registration packet
• Arrange airport arrival requirements for meet and greet arrivals, ground transportation arrangements, designated luggage tags for group participants, etc.
• Determine meeting room setups and notify site of additional requirements
• Order necessary signs, conference banners, and room signage

Four to Six Weeks In Advance

• Reconfirm with all external vendors
• Copy all materials that will need to be distributed
• Send attendees information regarding meeting attire, agenda, hotel and travel arrangements. Include pre-printed luggage tags, and participation requirements, pertinent telephone numbers and contact information.

Two Weeks In Advance

• Prepare registration packet and name tags
• Ship all required materials in numbered boxes to meeting site. Request acceptance receipts and confirmation of arrival notification.
• Confirm number of attendees with hotel and caterer.

One Week In Advance

• Check weather report for possible delays and determine a back up plan for weather altering scenarios.
• Coordinate delivery of special guest room deliveries such as VIP gifts or employee incentive gifts.
• Meet with necessary security and parking officials to coordinate meeting logistics
• Confirm rooming list with registration desk and procedure for check in. Double check rooms for VIPs and those with special needs.
• Discuss with front desk appropriate information to be included on site marquee boards
• Meet with accounting department of the site facility and confirm master billing procedures.
• Check inventory of materials and supplies pre-shipped. Compile registration packets that will be distributed. Set up a separate registration area if necessary.
• Conduct a meeting with personnel about on site administration and delegate responsibilities where appropriate.

Post Meeting Follow Up

• Send thank you notes to facility and to personnel that went above and beyond to ensure success of meeting.
• Send thank you notes to VIP’s for their attendance where appropriate.
• Document meeting notes, prices, vendors, and suggestions for future meetings.