Meeting and Event Planning - What's the Secret to Getting Your Message Across?

When it comes to Meeting and Event Planning, any successful event planning checklist might appear long - plus the time involved in putting together an event is considerable. One area that can be more time consuming and is crucial to any events success is getting the right speakers and presenters. This article will help you understand what needs to happen before you start looking for "speakers". The topic of speakers and presenters is a huge area and I couldn't possibly cover everything in a short article.

To help you get going, with your meeting and event planning, here are some things to consider:

The first question you should ask yourself when deciding on the content of your event is "Why would people want or need to hear what we have to say?" It is all too easy to attract key note speakers without first considering what the key message is that you need to get across. For most people time is money and your event will need to 'hit the spot' before delegates sign up to attend.

The other increasingly important part of any event is the question, "What's next?"

The way companies now market and promote, as an event planner you need to know what the companies upsell at this event might be. What would the next logical, step be for the delegates.

Maybe it is another event with more detailed content. Surprise surprise one that you could also be involved in setting up and running. This is where being that one step ahead of the company who hired you will help in establishing your event planning company as their trusted advisor when it come to professional event planning.

Once you are clear on your key messages and themes, and you know you have an audience for your event, the next step is to consider who is going to deliver the message for you?

For example, would having a professional presenter to hold your event together and engage with your audience be helpful....like a host? This could either be a celebrity such as a TV Presenter or newsreader, or a professional presenter or conference host.

On to the speakers:

Who will be speaking at your event? Will it be internal people from within your organisation, industry specialists, or key note speakers?

Speaker fees and expenses vary massively. Remember, just because a speaker attracts a high fee does not mean they are right for your event. Plus if someone demands first class travel from another country, this could hike up your budget. A good event production company may have experience of different speakers and could be useful for feedback.

Finally, consider how the information will be presented. Many people have heard the term 'death by PowerPoint' so consider the energy levels of your audience when planning your event. There are many ways to deliver your key messages including:

Panel discussions, Videos, Case studies, Interviews, Presentations - varying in length/ style and activities.The best events use a combination. What could be yours? In summary, invest the time to research the speakers who will do a good job of getting your message across and not just their own!