SERVICES OF MEETING AND EVENT MANAGERS
Find a Meeting or Events Manager
Meeting Managers are professionals who specialise in meeting and conference organisation and can assist you in organising as much, or as little, of your event as you wish.
Working in partnership with a professional Meeting Manager will give you the time to concentrate on what you know best - your business.
A Meeting Manager can assist with all aspects of your event from start to finish or just your registration and travel arrangements. Ideally, engaging a Meeting Manager should be the first step you take in organising your meeting. You can use their skills from the outset in developing your meeting budget, selecting a site, and negotiating the venue hire and accommodation rates.
Other event components that your Meeting Manager could undertake include:
+ developing the conference theme to meet business objectives
+ managing design and print of conference logo and registration brochures
+ marketing, public relations and advertising for the event
+ arranging speakers
+ organising trade exhibitions
+ handling insurance
+ organising conference satchels and gifts
+ catering
+ on-site management at the event.
The Canberra Convention Bureau strongly suggests a Meeting Manager be engaged for conferences in excess of 200 delegates, and especially for those who have not organised a conference before. Event Management is both an art and a science, and professionals working within the industry understand the many facets of organising a special event properly. Event Managers ensure the smooth running of any event by meticulous planning details such as:
+ function theme and provision of props
+ staging, lighting and entertainment
+ awards presentations
+ special catering needs.
Meeting and Event Managers also often work together on larger, more complex events with each Manager focussing on their particular speciality. As each event is unique it is best to discuss all your requirements at the start with a Meeting or Event Manager, to work out the most cost effective and efficient approach.
TIPS ON SELECTING A MEETING OR EVENT MANAGER
Choosing a Meeting Manager is as important as hiring a new member of your team. The company or individual you choose will be working with you on a major project for some time so it's imperative that you are able to work together and that you have the same vision for your project.
Before you approach a Meeting Manager it's important that you have already done some homework. You should have a conference committee in place and this committee should have already defined the goals and objectives of your conference. You should have some idea of where you would like to hold the conference and the type and number of delegates you are expecting to attract.
The best place to source a list of Meeting Managers is to approach the Canberra Convention Bureau. The Canberra Convention Bureau provides clients with one-page biographies of each of its Meeting Manager members. From these you can determine the experience and specialities of each Meeting Manager, and shortlist a number for interview or tender.
Points you may consider for inclusion in the selection criteria are:
+ list of previous conferences handled/arranged
+ business overview - years in business, number of staff etc
+ proven ability in marketing a conference i.e. delegate boosting
+ trade exhibition experience
+ industry accreditation, e.g. AMM, AIMM, AMMC from Meetings and Events Australia.
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