Designing Events Blog

Designing Events Scores Big Conference Success with Super Bowl Event

-- Attendee Networking Event Rewrites the Playbook, Fulfills Important Role in Building Attendance and Revenue --

BALTIMORE, Md. –– January 28, 2010 –– When designing a strategy for the Association of Test Publishers’ (ATP) 11th annual Innovations in Testing conference, planners at Designing Events (designingevents.com) welcomed the fact it would coincide with Super Bowl weekend. Many organizations would steer clear of this perceived obstacle to attendance. In contrast, through careful planning and promotion, it’s become a strategic element of the conference strategy.

This is not the first time that ATP’s conference has shared a date with the Super Bowl. Five previous conferences have featured attendee networking events built around watching the big game. Each one of these high-energy events has grown larger and more popular than the last. In addition to multiple big screens, food and refreshments, and networking, attendees enjoy the atmosphere at the sports-themed bar.

Attendance and Revenue Booster
"This event has become a significant asset for ATP’s conference," said Michelle Issing, president of Designing Events. "Attendance is boosted by returning attendees who look forward to the game watching and spread the word to others. It’s also an important contributor to the bottom-line of the conference. We’re able to secure more favorable rates by choosing a weekend that others are avoiding, and companies now compete to sponsor the popular event."

Innovations in Testing 2010 (InnovationsInTesting.org) takes place February 7-10, 2010 at The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in Orlando, Florida. This is Designing Events' 11th year planning and managing the conference which attracts more than 600 professionals from the testing and assessment industry.

About Designing Events
Designing Events, LLC is a premier global provider of high performance planning, management and marketing services for pharmaceutical, corporate and association meetings and conferences. Headquartered in the Baltimore area, the company has a proven track record of delivering high-quality results utilizing a comprehensive range of services and resources that are custom-tailored to fit each client's unique needs. For more information, visit designingevents.com.

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No-Charge Venue Selection

At Designing Events, finding the best conference venue…free of charge…is all in a day's work.

Choosing the ideal location for your conference is key to a successful event and essential for attracting attendees.

Designing Events offers venue selection and hotel negotiation services in all major cities around the world at no cost to you. We will work with you to find the perfect venue, get the best prices and plan a successful conference from start to finish. With hotel negotiations we will represent you every step of the way, ensuring the strongest contract available for your conference.

Here are three examples of ideal cities to consider for your
next conference:

New Orleans: This iconic city is an ideal conference location because of the hospitality, relaxed business atmosphere, good transportation connections, and great food. Whether you choose to stay at the Marriott, Hilton or Ritz Carlton, rhythm of jazz and the aroma of rice and beans fill the air. For large business meetings or annual conferences, New Orleans' atmosphere and attractions will be a delight to your attendees.
For more information: New Orleans Conference Planner

Frankfurt, Germany: As the largest city in Germany, located on the Main River,
this is an excellent conference venue choice. Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch Frankfurt and Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel & Towers Conference Center are two of the most attractive venues in the city to hold your conference. Attendees can enjoy the city of Frankfurt by visiting the Saint Bartholomeus Cathedral, one of 10 skyscrapers within the city, and much more. Frankfurt is a central location at the heart of Europe, and Frankfurt International Airport is a major
aviation hub.

San Antonio:
If you are looking for a green city to host your next conference or meeting, San Antonio is it, as a member of Convene Green Alliance.
San Antonio is rich with conference venues as well
as attractions. Attendees will enjoy the beautiful Riverwalk, Alamo and Aladome even after conference hours.
For more information: San Antonio Conference Planner

Venue Selection Team
Our Venue Selection Team follows a strategy-first approach, taking the time to learn about your organization and understand your goals and requirements. We develop a detailed requirement prospectus for the consideration of a group of pre-qualified properties.

Our vast Global Venue Network is the result of strong relationships gained during more than a decade of experience building high-performance conferences. Venue sales representatives know when they are dealing with experienced professionals. Our team cuts through the sales hype and needless back-and-forth negotiations to quickly get to the absolute bottom-line numbers.

Hotel Negotiations
Our services don't stop at venue selection. Designing Events will represent you when negotiating the hotel contracts too. We know the industry and what you are entitled to based on your room block, and food and beverage guarantees. You can count on us to obtain the strongest contract for you.

No-Charge Conference Site Selection!
Even if you don't use our other conference management services, you can have our Venue Selection Team secure the ideal location for your next conference at no cost to you. Whether your group is interested in New Orleans or Frankfurt, we know how to find the best location, best service and best price.

The reason we don't charge you a fee for our service? Once your meeting is complete, the venue pays us a commission on the hotel rooms and doesn't raise your rates. Your group gets all the savings at no extra cost.

Contact our Venue Selection Team:
Call toll free 866-867-1933 or Click Now.

No Need to Achieve Your Association Goals Alone. Find Out How We Can Help!

If this economy has become your Kryptonite, Designing Events is here to help. No need to achieve your association goals alone.

Designing Events can help guide you to the top by advancing your membership, association and industry through your annual conference. Your annual conference should be a major contributor to your organization's success.

The Value Leader

Designing Events ensures the investment in your conference generates exceptional results. That's why associations around the world trust us to deliver conferences that are built on STRONG STRATEGIC foundations. We deliver!

Strategy-First Approach
Complete Budget & Logistics
Awareness and Engagement
Program and Production
Sponsorships and Exhibitors
Return on Investment
Information and Reporting Systems

What’s your strategy for success?

Learn how we can help build a strategic foundation for your organization, as we did for Bob.

Contact A Conference Specialist:
Call toll free 866-867-1933 or Click Now.
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New White Paper!
Advancing Your Membership, Association and Industry

How an over-performing conference moves your organization forward without costing more.

As every organization works to maximize results from every effort, the accepted definition of a successful conference isn't working anymore. Today, conferences must over perform in advancing the membership, the association and the industry. An over-performing conference is carefully designed to become an integral part of the association's success. Our new white paper shows you how.

Request Your Complimentary Copy

Maximize Attendance at Your Next Conference.

Life as an association executive director is anything but easy.

Delivering a successful annual conference just adds to the to-do list. Choose Designing Events as your trusty sidekick and let us help from start to finish. We'll create a custom-tailored strategy, target possible opportunities upfront, provide on-site support and help with post-event analysis. Designing Events has over 10 years of experience planning and executing successful conferences.

Maximizing Attendance
Struggling to fill the seats? Conference success hinges on attendance and participation. Here is a short list of the ways we maximize attendance for association meetings and conferences:

Start from a position of strength with a well researched, comprehensive conference strategy and marketing plan.
Engage each potential attendee 24/7/365 through multiple channels.
Seamlessly integrate registration with all other marketing/engagement activities.
Stay connected to all prospects and registrants and continually reinforce the conference value proposition.

Maximizing your attendance starts with a single click. Click Here!

Online Engagement

You've never had the opportunities that you have today when it comes to communicating and promoting your association's meeting. Meeting and event websites can offer a cost-efficient way to share information about your conference, the program, travel and other conference-related details. However, effective use of online tools has eluded many organizations.

Designing Events' Internet marketing combines marketing innovation with stable technology to increase registrations and levels of service while saving time and expense.

You don't have to do it all on your own. Let Designing Events be your trusty sidekick.

Conferences Exceeding Attendance Goals!

Your members may only attend
one conference next year.
Will it be yours?

Attendance at three recent conferences planned by Designing Events exceeded expectations.

As a result, conference revenues increased for each organization and there are now three happy executive directors.

What’s our secret? In one word: Strategy.

But, not just any strategy -- certainly not one used last year -- times have changed.

These days, a successful conference begins with a custom-tailored strategy that is founded on a deep understanding of an association, its membership and industry. This focused plan creates a framework for delivering undeniable value to every potential participant.

Designing Events knows how to consistently deliver high-performance conferences that play a major role in the success of our clients’ organizations.

Of course we do a great deal more than strategize. We plan, implement and execute conferences with a relentless dedication to the goals. We make adjustments when needed, but we’re not distracted by the problem du jour.

Achieving your goals begins with the right strategy.

If your current conference planner is thinking about parties and décor before strategy, you really should talk with us.

Learn more about: Successful Conference Strategies

Contact A Conference Specialist:
Call toll free 866-867-1933 or Click Now.

New White Paper!
Advancing Your Membership, Association and Industry

How an over-performing conference moves your organization forward without costing more.

As every organization works to maximize results from every effort, the accepted definition of a successful conference isn't working anymore. Today, conferences must over perform in advancing the membership, the association and the industry. An over-performing conference is carefully designed to become an integral part of the association's success. Our new white paper shows you how.

Request Your Complimentary Copy

More Information about Designing Events:
Call toll free 866-867-1933 or Click Now.

Two Great Opportunities from the ASAE Annual Meeting

ASAE's Annual Meeting & Expo in Toronto may be over, but we have two valuable tools available for attendees. Take advantage of these opportunities to help your organization's annual conference over perform and be a major contributor to your overall success strategy.

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New and Exclusive from Designing Events!
Online Conference Performance Analysis

Conference Performance Analyzer (CPA) is an online, interactive assessment tool to help association professionals determine the performance of their annual conference. It is based on more than a decade of data we’ve accumulated from conferences around the world.

This is a free and confidential analysis that takes only about 15 minutes to complete. The results are immediately presented in an easy to read chart.

Learn More or Get Started Now!

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New White Paper!
Advancing Your Membership, Association and Industry

How an over-performing conference moves your organization forward without costing more.

As every organization works to maximize results from every effort, the accepted definition of a successful conference isn’t working anymore. Today, conferences must over perform in advancing the membership, the association and the industry. An over-performing conference is carefully designed to become an integral part of the association’s success. Our new white paper shows you how.

Request Your Complimentary Copy

New White Paper - Advancing Your Membership, Association and Industry

Advancing Your Membership, Association and Industry

New white paper reveals how an over-performing conference moves your organization forward without costing more.

An over-performing conference is carefully designed to become an integral part of an association’s success. Our new white paper shows you how.

Learn more now: Over-Performing Conferences

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Maximize Non-Dues Revenue Through High-Performance Conferences
High-performance conferences create unique revenue opportunities -- before, during and after the actual event. While an annual conference may only have a few onsite days, our proven approach to conference planning delivers value and increased non-dues revenue year 'round

Learn more now: Non-Dues Revenue

Learn More About Conferences and Non-Dues Revenue at ASAE Annual Meeting.

High-Performance Conferences That Maximize Non-Dues Revenue

Discover conference strategies that create unique revenue opportunities -- before, during and after the actual event. While an annual conference may only have a few onsite days, our proven approach to conference planning delivers value and increased non-dues revenue year 'round.

Learn more now: Non-Dues Revenue

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Complimentary Conference Performance Analysis

We're unveiling a new computer-based analysis tool exclusively in Toronto. It takes just about five minutes to answer a few questions about your conference.

You'll receive a performance analysis for your conference ranked against critical success factors for all association conferences.

Get More From Your Next Conference!

Turn to Designing Events

Associations turn to Designing Events when they want more from their conferences.

-- More Results
-- More Value
-- More Sustainably

The Value Leader
Designing Events ensures the investment in your conference generates outstanding results. That's why associations around the world trust us to deliver conferences that are built on strong strategic foundations. We deliver!

-- Strategy-First Approach
-- Complete Budget & Logistics
-- Awareness and Engagement
-- Program and Production
-- Sponsorships and Exhibitors
-- Information and Reporting Systems

Learn how we can help. Get a complimentary conference strategy evaluation. Learn More (and stop worrying.)

Stop Worrying About Your Association's Conference!

Trust Designing Events

Executive directors around the world trust Designing Events to defy challenging conditions and deliver high performance conferences.

-- Maximum Attendees
-- Delighted Boards
-- Outstanding Value

Learn how we can help. Get a complimentary conference strategy evaluation. Learn more (and stop worrying.)

Visit Us At ASAE's Annual Meeting

Does your annual conference over perform? Join us this August in Toronto to find out. We're unveiling our new Conference Performance Analysis exclusively at ASAE's Annual Meeting & Expo. In about five minutes, this unique computer-based tool determines performance factors for the three critical areas of conference success. Stop-by for your complimentary analysis.

ASAE's Annual Meeting & Expo
in Toronto, August 15-18, 2009
Booth #2345

Making Your Association Conference Green

Tips for hosting an environmentally friendly conference

You may have noticed that green is the new black - more people are becoming environmentally conscience and as a result, many companies are making efforts to be more green. This new trend of corporate responsibility has made its way to the meeting planning industry. There are some very simple changes that you can make when planning your conference that can have a positive impact on the environment and soon being green will become second nature.

Site Selection
Many hotels and conference centers have green programs in place. When you are selecting the location for your next conference, inquire about green programs that the potential sites have. During the conference, you can promote the programs or create your own.

At a recent conference that Designing Events managed, we found a unique way to reuse the travel sized toiletries provided by the hotel. Large boxes were set up around the conference to collect unused toiletries and after the conference they were donated to a local woman’s shelter.

Reuse and Recycle
Recycling is an obvious effort that should be made for a green meeting. Hopefully, the location of the conference already has a recycling program in place, which will make this an easy one.

Think of other items that you use on-site that can be reused – name badge holders and lanyards are two good examples. On the last day of the conference, set out baskets with a note asking people to leave their name badge holders and lanyards so that they can be used again.

Save Some Trees
Postcards, brochures, direct mailings, registration books – promoting a conference is traditionally done through a large amount of printed materials, cutting back on these will save some trees and save on costs. But what about my marketing efforts you may say? The internet and e-mail marketing can play a large role in promoting your conference. An online conference marketing program is environmentally friendly, cost effective and timelier than printed materials. While some printed materials will always be needed, limit them whenever possible.

Website - Invest in a comprehensive association conference website. The cost to include information on a website is minimal, so get rid of that 4-color registration book and put all of the information on your website. Send out a postcard instead and direct people to the website for all of the information they could ever need!

Electronic Materials – Instead of a large program book and print outs of speakers presentations, consider saving all of the materials on flash drives that can be distributed to attendees on site. You can also offer the materials for download on your website.

Print on Recycled Paper – When you do need to print materials, be sure they are printed on recycled paper. There are many options available for papers, as well as soy and vegetable based inks that are friendlier to the environment.

Downloads – Instead of mailing all of your printed materials, offer them as pdfs that can be downloaded from your website.

Food and Beverage
This is an area when your green conference can have a lot of impact.

No Throw Aways - Ensure that all china and service ware is not disposable – real plates and silverware send a better impression and is better for the environment.

Water, Water Everywhere – Have water coolers set up around the conference area instead of providing bottles of water. Consider including a water bottle with the conference logo on it as a giveaway to encourage people to reuse!

Individualized Servings – When possible, minimize individual servings of beverages and condiments. Those small bottles of ketchup are cute – but they lead to a lot of waste.

Together, We Can Make a Difference!

If everyone made just a few of the changes listed above, we could make a huge impact! Going green is not just a passing fad, we believe it will soon be a staple for all meeting planners, so start now!

Want to learn more about Designing Events? Get connected.

Marketing Your Association Conference Through E-mail

When used correctly, e-mail can be one of the most effective marketing tools to take your event to the next level. Not only is it cost effective, but you have the ability through e-mail to send out timely information quickly and often.

Here are some tips to use e-mail marketing more effectively for your next association conference.

Plain Text vs. HTML – Today’s spam filters are increasingly filtering out non-spam e-mails. To get around this, send both html and plan text e-mails to help ensure more of your recipients will actually receive your e-mails.

Content. Content. Content. – Reinforce your message by repeating key points in your e-mails, but also add fresh content. For example, you may want to include a section about conference highlights or why someone should attend in every e-mail and also include a section focusing on a different speaker or topic that will be presented.

Who are you sending to? – Be sure you review list regularly and find ways to increase the numbers you send to. If you have a conference website, have a way for people to sign up for more information. You may also be able to purchase an e-mail list from another organization. This is a great way to introduce your conference and association to new people.

Is it working? – You will never know if your e-mail campaign is working if you don’t track and pay attention to the statistics. You will want to keep an eye on how many readers open the e-mails and which links are clicked on the most. You may be surprised at which e-mail topics are most popular and you can add more about these in the future e-mails.

Also keep an eye on the e-mail addresses that bounce back. If an e-mail bounces back more than three times, you should remove it from your list. This will ensure that your list stays clean and you are not penalized by some of the larger e-mail services.

Want to learn more about Designing Events? Get connected.

Planning Checklist for a Green Conference

There are very simple changes you can make when planning your conference to make it more environmentally friendly. If everyone made just a few of the changes listed below, we could make a huge impact! Going green is not just a passing fad, we believe it will soon be a staple for all meeting planners, so start now!

Site Selection

Inquire about existing green programs
If a program does not exist, at the property you chose, create your own

Reuse and Recycle

Many locations already have recycling programs in place, make it easy
for attendees to participate
Reuse any on-site items that you can, such as name badge holders
and lanyards

Save Some Trees

Use other methods besides printed materials to market your conference and on-site.

Have a comprehensive conference website
Offer all promotional prices as downloads on your website
Use electronic materials on-site
Print any materials on recycled paper

Food and Beverage

This is an area when your green conference can have a lot of impact.

Don't use disposable service ware, if possible
Have water coolers instead of bottled water
Minimize individualized servings of beverages and condiments

Want to learn more about Designing Events? Get connected.

Keys to a Successful Association Conference Teambuilding Activity

In today’s age of e-mail, instant messaging and the internet, it is possible for a person to go an entire work day without speaking to a single person. In this type of environment, where face-to-face communication is becoming less common, it is more important than ever to help foster communication skills. To do this, many associations are incorporating teambuilding activities into their conferences.

The term teambuilding doesn’t mean the same thing as it did 30 years ago, in fact it now may warrant some rolling eyes or amusing clips from episodes of The Office. If you get a little creative and include the three components below, your teambuilding activity will be successful and enjoyed by your participants.

1. Relevance to team performance must be explained
2. Create a positive experience shared by all
3. Post-event conversation where the real self-actualization discoveries exist

An idea for team building might be charity work like volunteering at soup kitchens, facilitating food/clothing drives or working with Habitat for Humanity. Last year at a conference, Designing Events planned an event for attendees to volunteer with Rebuilding Together, a national organization focusing on the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans for those who can’t physically or financially rebuild themselves. Participants were able to work together towards a common goal of helping to rebuild a home. In the end, not only did they build new relationships and strengthen existing ones, but they had a new, shared experience that many of them found very touching.

Want to learn more about Designing Events? Get connected.

Hosting Your Conference on a Cruise Ship

Over the past few years cruise lines have been building and releasing ships that are more geared toward conferences - making conferences on cruise ships more attractive to planners. These new ships are equipped with more meeting space, a greater variety of services, and in some cases onboard conference services managers. In addition to meeting space being a consideration on new ships, older ships are also being renovated to accommodate larger conferences.

Cruise ships bring other perks too - they are all-inclusive and the ships thrive on successfully being able to serve a large number of people. Cruise lines are also claiming that their rates have remained more stable while hotel rates are ever-increasing.

Hosting a conference on a cruise ship is different and exciting – for the right group, it will surely draw attendees. But there are many things to consider determining if this will work for you and your group.

Demographics - Carefully consider the demographics of your attendees. What activities on the ship will interest your group most? Will they be bringing their families along? Are there activities for younger children? Is there a specific cruise line or destination(s) that would cater better to your demographics?

Location - Cruises only leave out of certain ports in the US as well as internationally, you still have to consider travel to these locations.

Time of Year - The cruise industry has definite high and low periods. If you book at a slower time, the cruise line may be more willing to offer concessions, take advantage of it!

Space - While there may be space for all of your attendees in the general session, be very careful to make sure the ship can accommodate your breakout space and/or exhibit space. If you have a very large group, you may even be able to charter the ship and have a complete take over. This will give you a lot of flexibility in personalizing your event. Keep in mind that there is more to consider than the sleeping rooms, the meeting space must be able to accommodate a complete take over as well. As a rule, if your attendance will equal to more than 50% of the passenger population, you will most likely have to charter the ship or go with a bigger one.

Time Away - Some planners and attendees are concerned with time off and business calendars when it comes to being isolated on a ship for 5, 7 or even 10 days. To help with this, many cruise lines have modified their schedules to offer shorter cruises. You could also hold a portion of the conference, maybe with exhibitors, at a hotel near the port and then after a day or two those who will attend the rest of the conference/meeting will depart on the cruise.

Planning - Ideally, you will need to book a conference on a cruise at least a year and a half in advance. You will also need to come to the conference completely prepared for any situation. If you are in a ship out in the ocean, you won’t be able to run over to Kinko’s to make extra copies. Bring extras of everything. Also consider bringing your own AV equipment.

Want to learn more about Designing Events? Get connected.

Association Conference Function Room Set-up Checklist

Function room set-up is an important consideration when planning an association conference. Ensuring that the function rooms are properly set-up, can be changed easily if needed and are comfortable for attendees and planning for any "what ifs" can be a daunting task - especially for a large conference.

Below is a checklist to help make planning function room set-up at your conference more manageable.

Study the Physical Aspects, Including

Attendee Comfort
Environment that Matches Goals of Event
A/V Feasibility
Unobstructed Site Lines (columns, chandeliers, etc.)
Speaker Focus
Accommodations for People with Disabilities
Traffic Flow
Restroom Accessibility
External Noise
Food & Beverage Service (convenience)
Availability of Floor Plans with Dimensions

Focus on the Condition of the Room

Cleanliness
Furnishings
Ventilation
Lighting (on audience and on presenter)
Power Requirements
Acoustics
Accessibility
Obstructions
Soundproofing

Plan for Contingencies

Concurrent Groups
Change in Your Group's Size
Availability of Larger and Smaller Rooms (conditions, charges)
Facility Renovations
Weather Conditions (tent, canopies)
Feasibility of Temporary Structures

Consider Pre- and Post-Event Space Requirements

Additional Events
Office Space
Equipment and Supplies Storage Space
Other

Setup Configurations

Choose Configurations for Each Function
Sketch Set-ups on Scaled Diagrams and Provide Copies to Facility

Do a Pre-Function Check of

Lighting and Lighting Controls
Ventilation
Facilities
Equipment
Services
Staff, Crews
Cleanliness
Adequate Signage
Fire Exits

List Equipment Requirements, Including

Chairs (stack, swivel, upholstered, armchairs)
Tables
Half-rounds — 30- or 60-inch (76- or 152-centimeter)
Quarter-rounds
Rectangles — 6- and 8-foot (1.8- and 2.4-meter) long; 18- and 30-inch (46- and 76-centimeter) wide
Rounds — 60-, 66- and 72-inch (152-, 168- and 183-centimeter
Stage (permanent, temporary)
Guard Rails, Draperies, Carpeting
Lighting (regular, spotlights, controls)
Lectern
Podium

Platforms

6, 12, 16, 24 or 32 inches (15, 30, 41, 61 or 81 centimeters) high
4-by-8 foot (1.2-by-2.4 meter) or 6-by-8 foot (1.8-by-2.4 meter)
Ramp to Stage
Public Address System (mixer, operator)
A/V Equipment (see Chapter 31)
Electricity (AC-DC current, capacities, outlet locations)
Extension Cords
Blackboards, Bulletin Boards, Easels
Supplies (name cards, note pads, pencils, water pitchers, glasses, flags, signs, banners, wastebaskets, table coverings)

Inventory Facilities Equipment, Labor and Supplies

Supplement with Outside Suppliers, if Necessary
Determine all Charges
Inquire about Union Regulations

Equipment Services, Policies Checklist

Telephone Hook-Up
Data Ports
High-Speed Phone Lines
Sign Posting Policy
Staff Management Schedules
Beepers, Walkie-Talkies
Facility Personnel Responsibilities, Phone Extensions
Availability of Temporary Secretarial Service
In-house A/V Services
Rental availability of Office Equipment (computers, typewriters, furniture)

Accessibility

Contact Attendees with Special Needs
Arrange for Special Accommodations

Access to the Function Room

Elevator to Function Room Level (not a service elevator)
Ramp that Meets ADA Requirement

Seating in a function Room

36 to 42 inches (91 to 107 centimeters) of Table Space per Wheelchair
6-foot (1.8-meter) Wide Aisles, Minimum
Contact Special-Needs Attendees about Seating Preferences
Get Permission for Back-Row Placement
Place Signer in Sight Line of Screen and/or Speaker
Place Guide Dogs on an Aisle or in Place of Adjacent Chair

Access to the Stage

Provide Ramp with Railing to the Stage at Least 1 Foot (.3 meters) Long for Every 3 Inches (7.5 centimeters) in Height

Want to learn more about Designing Events? Get connected.

7 Tips for Creating an Effective Association Conference Planning Timeline

No matter how big or small, a conference will not be successful without proper planning. One of the key components of planning is a conference timeline. Much more than a to do list, your conference timeline creates a roadmap for what needs to be accomplished, assigns tasks and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

Below are some tips to help you create an effective timeline for your next conference.

1. Starting On the Right Foot – Your timeline will constantly change, so you need to create it in a way that makes edits and manipulations easy. Excel is commonly used for creating timelines. Spend some time thinking this through so you set it up the way you want from the beginning.

If you have multiple conferences with multiple planners create a template that everyone can start from to avoid confusion when moving between conferences.

2. Make It Comprehensive – You don’t want your timeline to be confusing, but the more information you include, the better. Besides just the task item and the due date, consider adding who is responsible for each task, task type and an area for notes.

3. Deadlines – One of the most valuable parts of a timeline is managing deadlines. Some deadlines are hard deadlines and can’t be moved, while others are more flexible. Find a way to note the hard deadlines in your timeline – perhaps by making them a different color.

Once you have all of your deadlines in the timeline, sort by deadline so you can get a clear picture of your work load. If you have 10 deadlines in one week, you may want to adjust some of the soft deadlines so you are not overwhelmed later.

4. Categorize – Assigning categories to each task will help you get a clearer picture of what needs to be done.

5. Update, Update – Update your timeline on a regular basis, with any changes and the dates that tasks are accomplished.

6. It’s Not Really Over – Your timeline shouldn’t end when your conference does. Be sure to include any post-conference tasks that need to be accomplished.

7. Use it as a Guide – if you manage the same conference from year to year, use last year’s timeline as a guide for creating the next one. If you have been consistent with updating your timeline and entering in competition dates, it will provide a great guide future planning.

Want to learn more about Designing Events? Get connected.

Association Conference Food and Beverage Checklist

One of the largest costs in hosting an association conference is the food and beverage. Food and beverage can also play a huge factor in an attendees experience and the overall success of your conference. Below is a checklist to assist you with planning the food and beverage for your next conference.

Records of Previous Functions

Projected Versus Actual Attendance
Number, Type of Functions
Menus, Including Special Dietary or Religious Restrictions
Number, Type of Drinks Served per Person at Meals
Number, Type of Drinks Served per Person at Receptions
Projected Versus Actual Budgets
Guarantee, Deposit Figures
Size and Setups of Rooms
Gratuities Policy
Room Service Patterns
Hotel Outlet Usage

Schedule for Each Function

Is function primarily business, social, hospitality?
Are musicians, entertainers, emcee, ushers needed?
Will timing conflict or overlap with other events at the facility?
Is time allowed for movement of attendees?
What is the expected attendance at each function?
Who will handle which responsibilities?

Establish a Working Budget

Room Rental Fees
Food and Beverage Costs
Services/Labor Costs
Gratuities/Service Charges
Extra Tips
Entertainment Fees
Union Requirements
Maintenance
Taxes
Special Equipment
Souvenirs, Awards, Gifts
Decorations

Inquire About Local Laws and Regulations

Union Regulations on Minimum Number of Waiters, Musicians, Bartenders
Overtime
Facility Setup Staff
Liquor Laws
Facility Policies on Outside Liquor Supplies
Lounge, Room-Service Hours and Regulations
Fire Codes

Inquire About Special Services

Elevators/Escalators
Checkrooms
Transportation
Traffic Control
Garage, Valet Parking Service
Telephone, Message Service
Security

Contract for any Additional Services

Audio/Visual
Photographer, Videographer
Entertainment
Lighting
Florists
Security Guards
Decorator-Designer
Transportation
Media Coverage
Religious
Host, Hostess
Souvenir Supplier

Negotiating Cost

Negotiate prices based on numbers of sleeping, meeting rooms,
exhibit space booked.
When negotiating food costs more than six months out,
agree on a percentage to pay above present prices.
Decide how you want to be charged: signed guarantee, number
of meal tickets collected, quantities consumed.
Set Cut-Off Date
Determine percentage above guarantees facility will supply,
and incremental price, if any, for latecomers.
Negotiate Beverages Prices
Determine minimum number of servers and bartenders for each
function, and charges for them.
Clarify the Basis for Federal, State and Local Tax Charges
Inquire About Any Other Surcharges: Ice, Corkage, Setups,
Minimum Labor Fees for Small Groups
Plan Menus Accordingly
Specify All Agreements in Contract

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4 Ways to Help Association Conference Attendees Find Their Way

Finding your way around a large resort, hotel or conference center can be hard enough – now throw in hundreds of conference attendees going to multiple workshops, keynote presentations and events all while other conferences are going on in the same location! An attendee that can’t find their way can quickly become frustrated – resulting in an unpleasant conference experience.

Here are 4 ways that you can help your association conference attendees find their way. The result will be relaxed and comfortable guests that get where they need to be on time and in an organized manner.

1. Consistency - Have a conference look and theme that carries through all of the conference materials – your website, printed materials and onsite signage should all have the same look. By the time your attendees get to your conference, they should easily be able to identify your signage by the overall look.

2. Placement - Proper placement is crucial to effective signage. Especially if the conference is being held at a large venue there needs to be ample amounts of signs to direct visitors of exactly where to go. Begin with placing signs in the hotel lobby and by the check in desk and have arrows or a creative symbol that ties in with the theme of the conference to direct attendees where to go to register. If you are having workshops or breakout sessions, have a sign outside of each room.

3. Planning - Before the conference make sure to do a run through of the location and plan exactly where the signs should be placed to maximize the effectiveness. This will also help you with how many signs to order. Before the conference begins and after you have placed all of the signs, walk through the space to make sure that the signage placement makes sense.

4. Types - Depending on the type of conference you are planning there are various types of signs available. Below are some different types of signs that can be used to make navigating around the conference as straightforward as possible.

Reusable signs - If your conference is taking place at a number of locations throughout the year you can create signs that have plastic insert pockets to update for the different locations.

Disposable Signs - This type of sign is good for conferences that will only take place once and have a very specific look. There are many options available including various sizes and pockets for slip-in sheets.

Floor signs - Large stand alone floor signs are a great way to grab the attention of the guests. They could be used as a welcome sign or be placed outside of a conference room to inform the guests of what is taking place in that room.

Directional signs - Using a consistent logo from the theme of the conference could be a creative way to guide guests to various locations of the conference. The guest will associate the logo or image with the conference, and know that if they follow the image they will get to where they need to be.

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Creating an Effective Association Conference Website

One of the first impressions that a potential attendee will have of your association's conference is the website. Whether it is gathering information, registering to attend or an exhibitor signing up for a booth, your website needs to make a good impression on all who visit.

Association Conference Website Goals and Objectives

Before creating your association's conference website, be sure to have clearly defined goals and objectives that you want accomplished. There are a number of objectives that your particular site may want to accomplish, but having a clear goal in mind will make your website more effective in reaching a specific target.

Here are some examples of some conference website goals:

Increase attendance
Generate more press coverage for your events
Create new revenue opportunities for your organization
Sell more exhibit space and sponsorships

Features and Functionality

Once you have a clear goal in mind the next step is determine what the features and functionally need to be in order to make sure the goal is met. Your site can be as basic or advanced as you feel necessary.

Below are some features that can be incorporated into your conference website to reach your pre-set goal:

An agenda that includes time and date information for sessions and activities
Pages that describe education offerings including keynote presentations
A conference reminder email newsletter that offers event updates
A FAQ page that answers frequently asked questions
E-mail marketing campaigns tied to an online registration database to track response rates to your email promotions
Webcasts that deliver audio and video content from your events to a global audience
Web-based surveys to track the educational and other interests of attendees and prospective customers

Look and Feel

One of the most powerful aspects of an association's conference website is the look and feel. Be sure that the look of the website ties in with the rest of your conference promotions. This may be a specific look for the conference, that ties in the location and/or the conference theme. Or, it could be a look that carries over from year to year.

Promoting Your Association Conference Website

Finally, once the website content has been developed and created it is time to market and promote the site. This may be one of the most important steps in creating an effective website. You may have a clearly defined goal and unique content development, but if the site is not effectively marketed and promoted to the public your conference website will not be a success.

Here are some ways to market and promote your site:

Search-engine optimization to improve website rankings on popular search engines and directories
Listing on event industry websites and portals that list upcoming events
Targeted banner ads to drive qualified customers to your website
Distributing news releases online to capture the attention of more editors and writers
Affiliate programs that give incentives to other sites to drive traffic to your website
Content syndication to build exposure for your organization by placing your articles and news stories on other websites
Offline or traditional marketing to direct customers and prospects your website

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