Greetings event and meeting planners!

Every successful event, large or small, demands smooth coordination of endless details. To accomplish this, the best course is to strategically plan everything you can think of so when the "unforeseen" happens (and it will) you have the flexibility to embrace it without a crisis. KBS Productions offers you this complimentary, basic checklist to get you started with the planning. "Good event everyone!"

EVENT PLANNER'S BASIC CHECK LIST
(to be embellished specific to each conference)

PRELIMINARY
Purpose/goal of workshop/conference
Who is the market?
Budget
Means for staff: volunteer, employees, etc.
Project coordinator established
Secure a title, date, time(s), location
Timeline developed
Identify potential sponsors

FOOD/REFRESHMENTS
Determine which meals provided
Menu
Refreshments during off meal times
Vendor/caterer for food provision
What type of dishes/cutlery? (environmental considerations)
Where will food be located?
Water for presenters at all times
Recycling necessary ? Available?

SITE CONSIDERATIONS
Evaluate convenience to both presenters/exhibitors/attendees
Contact person on site
Vendor/sponsor/exhibitor booths or tables needed
Unloading/loading docks and logistics
A/V equipment and staff to run equipment included in site contract?
Directional signs around the site
Exhibitor signs
Electrical outlets/capacities
Food included in site contract?
Hearing/sight/wheelchair accommodations for differently-abled attendees
How early/late can staff get in
Identify how to manipulate room temperatures
Parking available? Included? Contracted?
Registration location
Coat check or racks
Designate smoking/non-smoking facilities
Tables, chairs: how arranged, how decorated
Consider traffic flow from room to room (if more than one presentation at a time)
Are cell phones operable within this facility?
Recycling provisions

SPEAKERS/PRESENTERS
Researched (contact KBS Productions at 1-800-669-4127 or www.kbsproductions.com for customized keynote & workshop programming)
Contracted
Compensation agreed upon
Biography on each presenter for introductions
Greeted/Assisted at site
Lodging Emcee or facilitator selected/contracted
Presentation needs
Special dietary needs
Alternate plan for cancellations/emergencies

PROMOTIONS
Marketing strategy/timeline
PR coordinator secured
Sponsorships solicited
Directions to site
Door prizes
Graphic & copy creation of materials
Invitation/flyer/broadcast & print media
Press releases
Printing of materials
Means to distribute sponsor materials (if provided)
Video/audio taping of presentation(s) for cassette sales
Conference schedule/program created/printed/posted

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
Attendee binders/folders
Directional signs created/posted
Educational material prep/copying
Generation of attendee list to provide to each attendee
Material distribution

REGISTRATION
Establish system for registration/refunds/cancellations established
Collection of fees
Preregistration
Computerized pre-site/on-site
Name badges
Provision for walk-ins and late-comers
Collection of badges (if reusable) at end of workshop

DAY OF WORKSHOP
Staff on site: identifiable and trained
Back up supplies/equipment available
Emergency technicians/staff designated
Equipment on site and functioning properly
Evaluations created/printed/distributed/collected
Facilitators prepared/on site
Food/refreshments in place
Signs posted

EQUIPMENT
A/V needs
Back up equipment (right down to extra dry erase markers)
Computers
Electrical outlets
Phone/cable/internet lines
Experienced staff to operate equipment/problem solve
Extension cords
Surge protectors
Communications means (i.e. two-way radios) between staff throughout facility)
Furniture set-up: speakers/facilitators/exhibitors/attendees
Cloth & drape
Trash cans
Recycling bins

SUPPLIES
Duct tape
Felt markers
Name badges & extra quantities
Note pads/scratch pads
Paper clips
Pens/pencils
Scissors
Stapler/staples
Straight pins
String/rope
Tape

POST WORKSHOP FOLLOW-UP
Post event PR in the media
Bills paid
Tally/assessment of workshop evaluations
Notes made for how to do the next event even better
Thank yous: to presenters, facility, staff, others?
Lost & left items returned to owners

On to next project!

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