This is where it all begins; translating your initial idea into a solid concept for a conference or forum. This is where we answer the pressing questions about your planned event:
- Why are you planning your event? What do you need to get out of the project?
- Will your event be branded and introduced as a sub-activity of your mother brand, or will it take a life on its own?
- What are today's "hot topics" in your domain, and what discussions will attract the right audience?
- Who are your target audiences, and why would they want to attend?
- Who are the renowned and respected speakers in your subject matter, and what will it take to recruit them?
- Given the variety of topics and potentially available speakers, how many days (or hours) should your event ideally last?
- Which side attractions need to be included, such as dinners, daytime trips, and various entertainment activities for delegates and spouses?
- Where is the best location for your event, given the theme, expected size of audiences, and planned attractions?
- What are the events that will compete with yours on audience and speakers, and why are they potentially significant?
- Are there any stakeholders who can be involved in promoting your event (such as embassies and donor agencies), and how will they be approached and involved?
- How can we plan and execute your event in a fashion that best supports local businesses, thereby contributing to the national economy yet providing you with the highest value for money?
This is also when we look at and talk about some vital numbers, such as:
- What's the budget and how much will it cost?
- Is the event free or will you charge delegates to attend?
- Will you offer bundles, discounts, and other incentives for registrations?
- How much will we need to raise in sponsorships?
- Are there any donor agencies who may have a vested interest in the topic and could therefore be willing to fund part of the expected costs?
- What is plan "B" should that become necessary and needed?
And of course, no endeavor can succeed without a detailed project plan to ensure our end-to-end services cover all there is to cover, and that they all get done in due time.
- What are the various working phases and tasks involved?
- When do tasks begin and end?
- What are the critical milestones we need to keep an eye on?
- Who will be responsibility for what tasks?
- How are tasks linked to and dependent on each other?
- When do we raise a "red flag" and sound the "alarm bell"?
- What are our contingency plans for various critical milestones?
All of these questions—and then some more—will be thoroughly addressed at the outset, so you'll know exactly what you're getting into. And to ensure you are involved at all times, we’ll move everything onto an online portal so you can practically live the event with us, to the extent you desire of course.
