Live for the planning…. simples!
Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:14 pm, by aspect
Failing to plan is planning to fail… simple. When it comes to the world of events management ‘What? Why? When? Where? How?’ may sound like the ramblings of an inexperienced amateur but it is, in fact, the beginnings of an all-important plan. Whether you have one year or one week to organise an event, it always come back to the planning. Simple right? Like all things in life, structure is needed. Think of planning an event like cooking for a dinner party. If you don’t study your recipes and prepare a shopping list you could easily forget a vital ingredient! My advice would be to create a system that works for you but – however you choose to go about it – here are a few key pointers to bear in mind:
- No.1 is the most obvious but also the most fundamental – scope out your project critical path in full. It will force you to think through the whole project from beginning to end, as well as highlighting key deadlines.
- Decide how the attendees should feel at the end of the event as they walk out of the door, and then work back from there. Everything you plan and do should be focused on achieving these objectives. It’s not just about what you say but how you say it – the décor, the tone and style, the pre- and post-event communication, the onsite activities – every element should work together to deliver your message.
- Put yourself in the audience’s shoes (believe it or not most people forget about the audience when planning an event!) Think through the whole flow of the event through their eyes – it will help you iron out the practical elements and identify any logistical wrinkles.
- Make sure the audience is engaged all the way through the event and delegates are interacting and sharing their opinions. They should be working hard at an event – not falling a sleep in their chairs!
- Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse – strong messages and content are worthless if they are not delivered effectively.
I went to an AGM and all I got was this bloody biscuit
Posted on December 9, 2010 at 12:21 pm, by aspect
Annual General Meetings – WOW – what a discovery for me in my retirement. I thought coffee mornings were in the past now that the children have moved on from junior school! But how wrong could I be? They’re back in a big way, and I mean big, because these AGMs have an endless supply of free coffee, free biscuits and – if you’re lucky – you even get lunch thrown in as well. I like to think of myself as a bit of a silver surfer. Over the past year, I’ve been buying the odd share in each of the Top 100 blue chip companies and I’m now starting to think that it was the wisest investment decision I ever made – it could feed me for the entire year! I’ve only been to one AGM so far but I’m already looking forward to my next ‘shareholder experience’ – coffee mornings here I come! Biscuit Biddy
“Brevity is the soul of wit.”
Posted on November 30, 2010 at 5:40 pm, by aspect
If it takes more than 4 minutes, then you just got boring! I’m not talking about my prowess in bed; but about the power of communication. Some people think they need half an hour to get their ideas across, however everybody accepts less is more – I think the question to any communicator is, how low do you dare go? When your message is short, sharp and succinct it’s memorable, so why is it such a challenge to persuade presenters and communicators to divide their message into 4 minute chunks. Every 4 minutes, change tact – simple! Introduce someone new or something new. Start a discussion or an idea with some questions and answers. Pity your poor audience, you don’t want them drowning in unnecessary nonsense. This may mean eliminating your comfort blanket, but if your message hits home and is remembered, enjoyed and appreciated, it has to be worth the intellectual investment surely. I suppose the question is; can you really build up a full day’s programme that consists of 4 minute episodes? This may sound like of a challenge but of course you can – and it’s worth the work! Author: Simon King-Cline
Dimension Data
Posted on November 23, 2010 at 12:23 pm, by aspect
Global consumer hardware company
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:47 pm, by aspect
“….This has been our best Partner Conference with the most attendance and most impact…working with Aspect has been tremendous coming up with new and innovative ideas to make it more than just a Partner Conference….”
Information technology services provider
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 10:00 am, by aspect
“…The professionalism, creativity, and attention to detail they bring is truly world class…”
Product Launch
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:59 am, by aspect
“…They have a positive attitude and make things happen – we achieve our communication objectives and have fun doing it…”
Town Hall Meeting
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:58 am, by aspect
“…I would certainly recommend them as an agency of excellence and professionalism in quality, detail and delivery…”
Gala Dinner
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:57 am, by aspect
“…What I like most about working with Aspect is the way they get right inside our business to see the world through our eyes…”
Partner Conference
Posted on November 21, 2010 at 11:51 am, by aspect
We produced a dual-site event for a global consumer hardware company. The event, held simultaneously in the US and Europe, was designed to motivate and engage senior managers and was built around the theme “Success Through Ingenuity”. “We are trying to drive a dialogue and not a monologue with our partners and re-sellers. Aspect’s“TickerText” completely transformed plenary proceedings and allowed us to manage and host questions in a way we’ve not been able to do before.”
