Events Planning & Management Workshop

This short course is a practical and interactive course that will provide you with a structured approach to operational and creative fundamentals, from inception to debrief. Learn how to develop and deliver successful events, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. You’ll learn how to develop budgets, critical paths, and work breakdown structures, and gain an insight into risk mitigation and contingency planning. We’ll also explore the key elements and processes involved in format and venue selection, registration, catering, accommodation, transport, theming, security, entertainment, stakeholder management, sponsorship, marketing and publicity.
Course outcomes
On completion of this course, the qualifying candidate will be able to:
ü Understand events management as a whole.
ü Know how to handle the first meeting with the client.
ü Produce proposals and tenders.
ü Understand the purpose of risk management.
ü Know how to apply project management.
ü Compile budgets.
ü Select a venue for your event.
ü Understand key points to remember when working with RSVP management.
ü Market an event.
ü Manage sponsorships.
ü Manage suppliers.
ü Select and manage staff and volunteers.
ü Know how to handle programmer that are planned.
ü Select speakers.
ü Select a chairperson or master of ceremonies.
ü Know how to work with technology and staging on the day of the event.
ü Manage the day.
ü Perform evaluations and reporting.
ü Organize in-house events.
ü Manage exhibitions within events.
ü Green’ events.
Course outline
Introduction to event management
ü Industry terms
ü International industry and associations
ü South African industry and associations
ü Defining events personnel
ü Defining events
ü Events characteristics
ü Golden rules to follow when planning an event.
First meeting with the client
ü Establish the purpose and objectives of the event
ü Purpose of the event
ü Establishing event constraints
ü Essential event questions
ü Request for proposal and tenders.
Producing proposals and tenders
ü Getting quotations
ü Background research
ü Producing a proposal
ü Contract
ü Client presentation
ü Completing tenders
Risk management
ü Definition of risk management
ü Duty of care
ü Security and safety
ü Risk management models
ü The risk management process
Project management
ü Project management definitions
ü Project management activities
ü The event management lifecycle.
Budgets
ü Using set budget
ü Creating profitable budgets
ü Practicing a break-even budget
Selecting venues
ü Types of venues
ü Selecting an area
ü Taking events into Africa
ü Taking events into the rest of the world
ü Site visits and evaluations
ü Venue commissions.
RSVP management
ü The importance of the invitation
ü Example of an invitation
ü Key points when designing
registration forms
ü Online bookings
ü Invoicing.
Marketing an event
ü Marketing events
ü Market research
ü Marketing plan
ü Target markets
ü Selecting segmentation for events
ü Marketing an event
ü Promotion
ü Advertising
ü Press releases
ü Social media
ü Evaluating the success of the marketing campaign.
Sponsorship
ü Sponsorship motives
ü Types of sponsorships
ü Ambush marketing
ü Finding and selecting sponsors
ü Sponsorship proposals
ü Managing sponsorships
ü Post-event evaluation.
Managing suppliers
ü Managing suppliers
ü Calling for quotations
ü Assessing quotations
ü Accepting contracts
ü Managing contracts
ü Supplier evaluation.
Selecting and managing staff and volunteers
ü Event responsibilities
ü Staff requirements
ü Job specifications for an event administrator
ü Volunteers.
Planning programs
ü Important points when planning a program
ü A typical one-day program
ü A typical second-day program
ü A typical evening dinner program
ü Formal dinner and wines
ü Seating, protocol and flags
ü Handling international delegates
ü Planning partners’ and/or supporting program
Selecting speakers
ü Categories of speakers
ü Invitations and registration
ü Briefing speakers
ü Briefing letter example.
Managing exhibitions within events
ü Why exhibit?
ü The benefits of exhibitions
ü Conference exhibitions
ü Attracting exhibitors
ü Managing exhibitors
ü Costing exhibition packages
ü Post-show evaluation
ü Checklists for exhibitions.
‘Greening’ events
ü Sustainable development and other definitions
ü Convention industry council’s green meeting report
ü South African best practice.
Event technology and staging
ü Designing good presentations
ü Venue
ü Using technology
ü Selecting staging effects
ü Décor.
Evaluations and reporting
ü Drafting evaluations
ü Evaluating speakers and the chairperson
ü An example of an evaluation questionnaire
ü Implementing evaluations
ü Assessing evaluations
ü Presenting
Way forward After the Training
Participants will develop a work plan through the help of facilitators that stipulates application of skills
acquired in improving their organizations. ASPM will monitor implementation progress after the training.
Training Evaluation:
Participants will undertake a simple assessment before the training to gauge knowledge and skills, another assessment will be done after the training in-order to demonstrate knowledge gained through the training.