You have been given the green light on a meeting you have had on the drawing board for months and you want it to be absolutely exceptional. The last few meetings you have planned have been okay, but this one you want to be different. You want attendees to be excited about coming to the event.
Here are 5 common roadblocks many planners face when putting their meetings in motion and what you can do to avoid them.
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Getting caught up in the minutia.
If you want a great event, you need to have a strategy where all your activities drive toward this plan. Getting the venue contract signed is good (short-term) but focusing on putting together top-notch content and speakers is great (long-term). Dream big and put together a plan to make it happen.
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Lack of and/or improper communication with partners.
Let's face it, planners rely on a large number of partners from the hotel to the event audio visual rental company and many organizations in between. Missing conference calls, not returning emails, or blaming others for your mistakes isn't only unprofessional, it does nothing to move the meeting forward. Planners need to set up regular communication calls with all their partners and put an end to triangulation of problems. Making your partners feel like they are an important part of the team, fosters a positive environment to help you achieve your goals.
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Ignoring your attendees.
Attendees are the "bread and butter" of any event. The mainstay. The reason you have a job. Do they feel valued? What are you doing to make them feel welcome? If you appreciate and take interest in them, guess what…they will sell your next event for you! All of this takes time and effort, but corporate event planners need to take the time to engage with their attendees, listen to what they have to say, and be ready to take action on their suggestions.
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Providing no accountability to anyone.
You finally got the go ahead on this event, so now is not the time to "go silent" regarding your planning and implementation process. Include your management team in on your conference calls or at least send them a brief note recapping the results. Let them know when you are having problems. Put together a project list of what needs to be completed in a specific timeframe and review this in the conference call. Providing Audience Response System rentals at your event can instantaneously and anonymously measure attendee feedback about your meeting, speakers, and conference venue.
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Procrastination, followed by panic.
Not paying attention to the planning process of your event for several days or weeks, is sort of like planting a garden and then not weeding or watering it for a long period of time. Yes, your flowers may grow (or not), but so will other distractions, such as the weeds and insect infestation. This goes for events as well. Planners spend a lot of prep time in the beginning and usually a bulk of time about 1 week before the event. Many things are rushed and can be overlooked. Instead try and focus on the event process, even if it is for 10 minutes every work day. You will find your stress level will go down and everyone will be much more cooperative.
Are you event planning in California? AV Event Solutions has many interactive technology tool rentals available to help make your next event absolutely exceptional! Give them a call today at 888.249.4903 to learn more about their fantastic offerings.