I do like my checklists and here is another one. I recently organised a seminar for a B2B software company. The objective was to get as many decision maker bums on seats to review the latest software. Below is a timeline of event planning activities leading up to and after the seminar.
Seminar Checklist
9 weeks before
Create invite list for all prospects you want to attend
Book date and Venue
Confirm speakers & agenda
Update your website updates – news page / newsletter / event pages etc
Draft invites
Think of a client you invite along (prospects are always more inclined to believe other customers / user of a product or service than the vendor)
Create a template of attendee spread sheet
7 weeks before
Send out hardcopy invite
Follow up invites with calls over the next few weeks to confirm receipt of the invite and prompt a registration
6 weeks before
Send email reminder
3 weeks before
Send Email reminder 2
Continue to follow up invites with emails and calls
Review presentations
2 weeks before
Send final email reminder – headed something like ‘Last few places on the seminar’
Create Directions and agenda
Create Feedback forms to give out on the day
Create Lead sheets for your sales team to complete on the day (as much as they think they'll remember everything - they won't)
Do all of your printing in advance
Organise team meeting for everyone attending. Run through;
- who is doing what
- room layout
- delegate list
1 week before
Create delegate packs
Call/email all attendees to confirm they have received directions and are still coming
Call/email host / vemue to run through final requirements
Send host / venue list of attendees
Create a ‘hot list’ for sales. Prospect leads which are really hot and should get extra attention at the event.
On the day – at the event
Take with you;
Print out sales' diaries so meetings can be booked on site
Delegate packs
Feedback forms
Lead sheets
Any display equipment like a pull up stand
Business cards
Name badges
Camera (pictures for PR or website)
Contact numbers for all staff attending
On the day – back in office
Send out ‘thank you for attending email’ to prospects.
Send out ‘sorry you could not attend email’ to no-shows and cancellations.
Afterwards
Review feedback forms - what can you do better - tell the team
Give event evaluation at next team meeting (best bits, things to remember for future etc)
Send out info delegates have requested
Remember to record any actions afterwards so you can compare teh performance of each event (especially in relation to cost, time spent organising etc)
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