It is always a challenging task when it comes to organising an event or seminar as they require extensive preparation and planning. Most of this work needs to be done a few months before the event is likely to take place, especially if a large number of attendees are expected. On the face of it, it may seem like seminars run like clockwork however the reality is that a great deal of forethought and planning has gone into making the event run so smoothly. If you have been charged with organising such an event and are a relative novice to such things, here are a few pointers which will help you plan a successful seminar.

You should start by establishing a theme of your event. The purpose of the seminar should be geared around your audience so that it will appeal to those in attendance. Once you have established a theme it will help you decide which companies it would be appropriate to approach for sponsorship. The overall theme of your event will help you determine which marketing channels to utilise for publicity. It will also be beneficial to your marketing team as it will give them a clearer idea of who to sell the event to.

The next important task on your list will be to choose a suitable venue. This will be highly dependant on the size and scale of your event. If you are expecting 100-200 people to attend the event then they can be comfortably accomodated within a large hotel seminar room. Anywhere more and it will be worth your while making some enquiries with venues which can provide a large hall or auditorium. It is also important to take into consideration the overall quality of the venue and the facilities which are available. It is also important to make enquiries to see which venues will provide catering. When drawing up a shortlist of potential venues to approach bear in mind how good the access to the venue is as some participants may be making a long journey to attend.

All of this preparation is of course going to cost a fair amount of money so it will be time well spent approaching local companies who may wish to sponsor you. Sponsors will also have their own channels through which they will be able to assist you with marketing. Try to approach companies who relate to your particular insdustry or will have a vested interest in getting their message across to the people who will be attending your seminar. You can provide an insentive by way of giving sponsoring companies a number of free tickets to attend, or you could give them a stall whether they could promote themselves. Another effective insentive is offering to provide a prominently placed banner at the event where they will be able to advertise.

On the day of the event ensure there is a desk where attendees can register and collect their name badges. Familiarise your guests with the layout of the venue and provide them with an agenda or timeplan for the day. It is also important that you and your fellow organisers are on hand throughout the day to provide assistance to guests who have queries. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself and mingle with the attendees as their feedback will be invaluable when it comes to organising future events!

Author Bio: Trevor Richards is Writing on behalf of Owl Event Management (www.owleventmanagement.co.uk), a leading UK corporate event management company.

Category: Advice
Keywords: event, seminar, conference, event, talk, marketing, advertising, business, commerce, profit