| Say it With Me, Now: Events are Fun |
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| Written by Matt Gibson |
| Sunday, 28 August 2005 16:00 |
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Events are fun. I like fun. Fun is why I am so happy to work in the public assembly facilities industry. No one likes not having fun. If you are planning an event, there are some very basic points to keep in mind so that you can keep having fun. The size of the event really is not the issue, whether it is a small business meeting, a holiday party, a large corporate presentation, or even a huge consumer show. What are we doing here? Any event needs to have the basic goals defined. Raise your hand if you have ever been stuck in a three-hour meeting and at the end of it, still didn't understand what the point was. I love it when I get pulled in and the moderator starts off saying, "Hey, everyone! Welcome. We are here to accomplish A, B, and C today. Let's get going." Who are you guys? Know your audience. Know who they are and how they assimilate information. I am not saying that you need to remember their birthdays, but have a reasonable grasp on what your audience is all about. It's tough enough to communicate with someone you know very well, so think about how much more difficult it is with someone you do not know! What's the plan? Your audience may not need a script of what will happen at your event, but you do. Not having a well thought-out event agenda is like driving your car without the steering wheel-it's just not going to work. Have your meeting plan in an easy-to-read type in your hand, and make sure that you stick to it as much as humanly possible. Even if you've run a particular event a million times before, you still need a plan on hand at all times. Yes, you do. I mean it. Food works. Who wants to attend a function when they are hungry? Food and beverages at events are an incredibly effective means that will influence your audience for the better. When you provide catering to your audience, you tell them that you care about their welfare. That affects their willingness to take part in what you are doing. Feed your attendees and they will follow you to the ends of the earth. Besides, all those rumbling stomachs would just take their minds away from the presentation! Make sure your catering is top notch yummy. Bad food is even worse than no food. That was really cool! The most fun I get out of events is when people leave. (Erg&hellipthat probably did not come out right.) What I mean is, I enjoy hearing comments about the event after it is finished. If I did my job correctly, our guests will be happy and excited to take on the world. If not, I will see a lot of confused looks and hear a lot of derogatory conversations. What do you want your guests to get out of your event? Have you thought it out well enough to ensure that the audience will leave with smiles on their faces? What can you do to make this happen? Who's paying for this?!? If everything was free, we could have some very popular (and crowded) shows. Can you imagine what business meetings could be like? The sad reality is that events cost money. And because of that, a strict budget has to be maintained throughout the show. Resist the temptation to spend what you do not have because of some last minute thing that you think you need. Figure out what you need before anything is done and come up with a decent budget. Remember: your plan drives your budget, not the other way around. Now get out there and have some fun. Matt Gibson has a lot of fun at his job as marketing director for the Spokane Public Facilities District, which owns and manages the Spokane Arena, Opera House and Convention Center. Some folks think he may be having too much fun. He can be reached at 509-324-7000 or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . |
