Planning A Meeting? Piece of Cake!

No matter how large or small your company is, at some time in the near or far future you will likely find yourself organizing a meeting or gathering that requires at least some level of planning on your part. This will require quite an investment of time and money for things like reserving a spot, ordering food, sending invites, and procuring the various materials needed to conduct the meeting and present a professional appearance. Here are some facts to help you through what can be a somewhat arduous process.

Avoid costly rush charges and mistakes made in haste by planning ahead. The most successful outside events are planned a full year in advance, but you can do a decent job in as few as 90 days if you are meeting in your own rooms. This will allow ample time for obtaining samples of customized products so that they are not purchased sight unseen, designing and proofing printed materials well ahead of drop dead print deadlines, sending save the dates, invites, and reminders, and organizing handouts.

Save on costs by offering sponsorships. Do you have vendors or strategic partners who might provide cash or goods in exchange for the opportunity to network with your attendees? Sponsors can provide name badges on lanyards imprinted with their logo, tote bags imprinted with their logo and yours, notebooks, writing instruments, etc. Their logo on the item is good advertising for them and will help you keep your overhead low. If you prefer cash, offer sponsors an opportunity to exhibit at the event, time at the podium, or ad space in the printed program.

Outsource the coordination of your collateral materials. Find a vendor who can perform several functions under one roof. For example, the right promotional marketing consultant can source printed badges, badge holders, and lanyards from three different suppliers, assemble them and deliver them directly to the meeting location. They can also get a three ring binder with your logo on it and have your meeting notes printed, collated and inserted with tabs before delivery. This same consultant can work with your sponsors to provide customized promotional items that meet with your approval and blend with the theme of the meeting. Again, everything flows through a single vendor and is delivered directly to the meeting location.

So there you have it- three ways to save some time, money, and your sanity! The overall message is start early, enroll sponsors to offset costs, and hire a promotional marketing consultant to manage your product procurement. Piece of cake!