Event Planning in the New Millenium Presented by: Lise Fitzpatrick, Jacquard Event Management

2. Event Planning in the New Millenium Presented by: Lise Fitzpatrick, Jacquard Event Management Margaret McKeon, IASA

3. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS The Key to Success: The 5 or 6 P’s : Proper – Planning – Prevents Piss and/or Poor Performance

4. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Why hold an event?Inside the booth: • Drive Traffic to your booth • One up your competition • Because everyone likes Popcorn and Chocolate Fountains! • Outside of the booth: • Sponsorship – get your name attached to the overall event • Have access to all the attendees not just those that visit your booth

5. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Check with Conference organizers…Inside the booth: • Date / Time restrictions? • Are there sponsorship opportunities? • Is alcohol allowed? • Is cooking allowed? • Outside of the booth: • Are there sponsorship opportunities? • Date / Time restrictions?

6. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Determine realistic booth traffic and numbers • Check with Conference organizers on registration numbers • Use any history you may have from previous events to determine the numbers • Always guess low, you can always increase food numbers before guarantee, but you can NEVER lower them once given.

7. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Create a budget…For Inside/Outside • Catering Menus are typically available in the Exhibitor Kit along with contact information. All venues will have menus or a preferred caterer list. • Look for surcharges such as bartender fees, chef fees • Consider cost of theme props, specialty linens, flowers, entertainment • Outside additional considerations • Venue Rental • Shuttle needs/costs

8. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Preparing for Negotiation • Read the fine print on all printed materials • Be familiar with what you really need vs. “like to haves.” Don’t automatically think the hotel/venue will know what you need, they will only write down what you tell them. More information is better!

9. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Negotiation • Request a custom proposal that works within your budget • Challenge the bartender fees and/or minimums, based on total F&B revenue • Catering may be exclusive but entertainment, props, flowers, AV is not. Let them know you are shopping around • Payment Terms: Depending on venue they will differ

10. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Review • Review the written materials received • READ THE WHOLE CONTRACT! • Make sure the dates are accurate and “Days/Dates” are accurate • Review performance clauses food and beverage. Make sure you are prepared to meet the clause terms. • Highlight anything you do not understand and clarify with the Caterer/Venue/Supplier. Don’t sign it if you don’t understand it!

11. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS KEY TO SUCCESS: The better you PLAN and PREPAREthe better PERFORMANCE you will receive from your vendors

12. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Food and Beverage Planning • Review the printed catering menus. Printed banquet menus are generally not negotiable; if you don’t see something that works within your budget ask for custom proposals. • Review Catering Rules and Regulations; BEO’s are a contract; read the small print! • Per person VS. Ala Carte – Do the math, compare the cost of a per person coffee break with the cost of an ala carte per piece break. Sometimes one or the other could be cheaper. • One (1) Gallon of Coffee will serve 18 cups • Control quantities by remembering: not everyone will eat everything you put out. If doing ala carte, prepare to serve at least 80% of your group.

13. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • Food and Beverage Planning Cont’d • Beverage: If “Hosted Bar” by the organization; purchase by the drink and request to inventory the bars with the beverage manager before they open. This will help keep the bartender honest with his numbers. One bar can effectively service up to 100 people

14. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • GuaranteesDefinition: This is the number of guests the venue will prepare for and the minimum number for which you will be billed. It is always easier raise the number but you can NEVER lower it. Plan accordingly! • Remember not everyone will show up and not everyone will eat every item you order • Review history, if you have it. If you don’t have it a good rule of thumb is 80-85% of expected. • Request RSVPs for the event • Provide tickets for the event and collect them, then count them. This will help you build history for future events.

15. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • On-site Management • Either load up your iPad or create your own on-site “book” binder. You should be armed with all of your meeting contracts, communications, schedule…etc. All in on place. • Arrange to meet your main contacts prior to the start of the event. Review event in detail. • Arrive early to every event, check the details • Conduct your own attendance count and compare with the Banquet Captain. Carry a clicker…it’s quicker • Remember to collect bar consumption sheets • Review all bills before you leave, especially if you are being billed post event. Easier to make adjustments onsite than it is once the bill arrives.

16. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS • What if you have to cancel the event • Differs depending on: • Rental Venue (Outside of Booth) • Caterer • Hotel • Convention Center • Supplier • Understand your contract terms – however cancellation can also be negotiable no matter what the contract says

17. Meeting Planning in the New Millennium –EVENTS ? & A

18. Event Planning in the New Millenium If you have questions specific to this presentation, please feel free to email: Lise Fitzpatrick Margaret McKeon President VP of Conferences & Events Jacquard Event Mgmt. IASA lisemfitzpatrick@gmail.commmckeon@iasa.org Thank you for your time and attention. Now, we would like to bring up James Wallace of Experient for a short presentation of the SWAP system that will be used at this year’s IASA Annual Conference.