Large event organising: whats the big deal Bonnie Brimstone External Relations Officer, IFS

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Large event organising whats the big deal?
Bonnie Brimstone External Relations Officer,
IFS

• ESRC Investments Communications Conference 20084
  November 2008, London
• www.ifs.org.uk

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Objective thinking why an event?

• Typically two main reasons for organising an
  event
• 1) Dissemination (giving information and sharing
  ideas)
• Research progress / conclusions
• Response to policy or current events
• The focus is on presentation (with Q A
  usually theatre style)
• 2) Discussion (gaining information and ideas)
• Feedback / input on current research / new ideas
• The focus is on networking / interaction
  (usually round table)
• ? In both cases you should consider if your
  objective can be achieved by other means
  publication, press release, email, letters,
  website?

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Large events is bigger better?

• Dissemination any number of delegates
• Discussion smaller groups are easier to manage
  (25 and under)
• 3) Both You can have the best of both worlds
  through breakout sessions
• In all cases quality is almost always better (and
  more cost effective) than quality
• so ensure that you are not filling seats for the
  sake of it.
• TIP A good facilitator or chair is essential at
  ALL events.
• Dissemination They manage Q A, introduce
  speakers etc
• Discussion They ensure everyone can contribute,
  guide discussion and
• take notes to feedback.

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Once you are clear about your objectives you can
consider

• Speakers
• Audience
• Timing (when to hold the event)
• Format (length and type of event)
• Location
• Marketing
• And. Budget.

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Budgeting for your event

• Essential from the outset. You should consider
• Existing funds (dont forget you can often apply
  to ESRC)
• Potential funds (revenue from delegates /
  sponsorship)
• Is it worth it? Does charging / sponsorship fit
  with your objectives and
• audience?
• Estimated (quotes) and actual (contracts /
  invoices) income and
• expenditure
• Fixed / variable costs
• TIP You can find a financial planning form (and
  other useful tips!) on the
• ESRC website www.esrc.ac.uk/esrcinfocentre/CTK/ev
  ents/default.aspx

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Timing is key

• 1. When to hold your event?
• - When are speakers free?
• Who is attending and when are they most likely to
  attend?
• When will publication / research be completed
  (realistically!)?
• Need to avoid a clash?
• Financial / other constraints?
• 2. When to start organising and marketing?
• Booking venues and speakers larger events /
  important speakers
• longer lead times
• Marketing depends on type of event and who you
  are marketing to
• 3. How long should the event be?
• Objectives
• Stakeholders / audience commitment

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The perfect venue

• Issues to consider
• The size of your event
• Length of your event
• Type of event
• Format
• Location
• Facilities required
• Accessibility
• TIP Help is at hand! Use others to help you
  find your venue
• ESRC www.esrc.ac.uk/esrcinfocentre/CTK/events/def
  ault.aspx

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Marketing your event

• Larger events require a wider marketing pool
• - Internal database / contacts list
• - Specific individuals in the field (ask
  researchers / speakers)
• - Get others to market your event for free!
  associations, unions,
• University departments, government contacts (e.g
  GES), the media and
• funders like the ESRC.
• TIP ESRC centre branding on materials / website
  can attract people to your event and the
• ESRC can help to market your event through their
  website and newsletter.
• Get others to market your event at a price do
  you have a budget to place inserts in
• conference packs or adverts in the national /
  trade press?
• and often a variety of formats
• - Website
• - Email (date in the diary followed by further
  info and reminder)

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Case study IFS Residential Conference April 2007

• Marketing residential quality of audience
  long lead time (8 months)
• Date in the diary email and website (September
  2006)
• IFS newsletter via website and email (October and
  December 2006)
• Hard copy - professionally designed flyer
  (December 2006)
• Advert in Fiscal Studies journal (December
  2006)
• Advertised through other organisations CIOT,
  ETPF (December 2006)
• Reminder / further information email (January
  2007)

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Administration

• Behind every good event there is a good
  administrator. You will need to
• - Set and track your budget
• - Find and book facilities / staff (negotiation,
  contracts, function sheets)
• - Liaise with speakers (accommodation, travel,
  dinner, presentations,
• papers.)
• - Market the event
• - Process bookings
• - Prepare materials and delegate packs (papers,
  speaker biogs, delegate
• information, programme, delegate list, slides,
  evaluation forms)
• TIP You can never have enough back-up options.
  File everything relating to the above in
• hard copy in a conference file and copy
  everything relating to the conference onto a USB
  to
• take with you to the venue.
• - Onsite administration
• - After your event you should process evaluation
  forms / arrange a de-brief
• - Update your website with relevant documentation
  
• - Send out follow-up documentation / information
  to delegates

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ESRC centre guidelines and support

• 1) Communications toolkit
• http//www.esrc.ac.uk/toolkit
• ..and team http//www.esrc.ac.uk/esrcinfocentre/C
  TK/comms-team.aspx
• 2) Keep event branding consistent with the
  branding of the programme /
• centre and the ESRC's Identity Guidelines for use
  of its corporate identity
• http//www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/Support/Ident
  ity_Guidelines/index.aspx