The A-Z's of Event Planning

There is so much that goes into event planning that you would probably never think of. From A-Z though, we handle it all and more to make for a successful event.

A - A users conference would be nothing without AV. We love the relationships that we have built over the years with some great companies such as Tri-marq Productions.

B - Breakout sessions completely define user conferences. These are the educational sessions jammed packed with relevant content for the industry. Some conferences even offer continuing education credits.

C - The process of planning an event can often be lengthy and time consuming. With all the different aspects that go into each individual event, our team always collaborates first and lays out the map of work for who is responsible for what. This makes it easy on the client so they know the exact team member at Right On Pointe to go to for each request.

D - Picking the perfect destination can sometimes make or break your event. You want to pick a place that your attendees will want to travel to. Some of our favorite cities to work in are Chicago, Las Vegas, and Nashville.

E - One of the more exciting aspects to any event is getting to research and help pick out entertainment options. This can be a wide range of options such as big named 80's bands like Foreigner or ZZ Top down to local bands or can can dancers. No matter how simple or elaborate, every party goer loves the interaction of entertainment.

F - When you think about being at a conference for 4 days, you may not even think about what the food will be like. Luckily, for the attendees, we always have F&B covered. We spend hours of work perfecting the menus for receptions, lunches, and even breaks with the hotels.

G - The best way to bring all of your attendees together at a conference is during a general session. A lot of times this will happen on the first day before everyone disperses into their industry relevant breakout sessions. General sessions can be anything from the CEO speaking, an entertainment act to get the team pumped up, or even a keynote speaker.

H - Your attendees have to have somewhere to stay when they come to the conference of course. Housing has many components to manage such as group room blocks, Passkey, and room drops.

I - Along with all of our client's events, we also have our own internal management for Right On Pointe to keep the brand fresh. This can includes keeping our social media up to date, networking events, and business development.

J - As an event planner, we are constantly juggling multiple events at one time, all the different entities that goes into each, and our daily lives. It may seem stressful for a lot of people, but it's something we love and thrive off of!

K - Want to inspire and motivate your audience? A great way to do this is by bringing in a keynote speaker during the conference. We've worked with speakers from all sprectrems like sports phenonemon Bo Jackson, The Queen of QVC entrepreneur Lori Greiner, and stand up comedian Brian Regan to name a few.

L - There is no way us event planners could live without our laptops! This is how the majority of our work is done and our lifeline to all the hard planning. Don't make the mistake of forgetting the charging cord as well because as much time as we spend on it, the battery is quick to die.

M - Everyone knows that technology is on a huge uprising. One of the best ways to incorporate that with an event is by using a mobile app made for the conference. This feature is so great because not only can the attendees build their own schedules, but it keeps the engaged by using incentivized games to help network. Everything your attendees may need to know can be included in the app. We also love the fact that push notifications can be sent out to let everyone know any last minute updates.

N - Notes, notes, notes! As an event planner we are constantly scribbling down notes to make sure no nothing gets forgotten. From reminders, to our client's visions, and even a task list, no note is ever unimportant in the industry where detail is everything.

O - At the start of any event, we always like to host a kickoff call with our client. The purpose of this is for us to find out what our client's ultimate objective is for holding this event. Knowing this from the start, gives us the foundation to how we plan the event and the content that goes into sessions. At the end of each event, we have a debrief to make sure our client's objectives were met and to go over the pros and cons of the event.

P - Everyone knows a great event wouldn't be complete without a party. Whether it's an off-site evening event for a users conference or a customer appreciation event. We help plan every aspect of it from choosing the venue space to the decor and entertainment.

Q - With all the time spent leading up to an event, it's amazing how quickly the event itself can fly by! But hey, like the saying goes, time flies by when you're having a successful conference.

R - A goal that every one of our clients has is always an attendance goal. This is why we have registration for the events. Attendees can register from the event's website and then when they get onsite all they have to do is come by the registration desk to pick up their badge.

S - The best way to pick the venues is to do a site visit and check out the space first hand. Site visits can take place any time during the planning process; at the beginning to make a decision on where to hold the event or during the months leading up to go back and get a refresh on the space and possibly look at off-site after party event space. Regardless when they are scheduled, we think it's always best to get a visual of the space in person versus just photos and floor plans.

T - Whether it's for a big band and their equipment, getting your attendees to an off-site party, or getting your VIPs from the airport to the hotel, transportation is always something we take into consideration and help with. The last thing you want your attendees to do is get lost going from point a to point b.

U - Any successful event, no matter if it's a trade show, users conference, or a customer appreciation party, we always want to make sure that we not only understand our client's needs and wants, but make sure that they are executed throughout the whole planning and delivery process. Happy client = happy Right On Pointe team!

V - With all the content that goes into breakout sessions, presentations can be ever-changing. Our team helps manage version control of all the presentations being presented during a conference. This helps ensure a flawless delivery of the most up to date power point from the speakers to their audience.

W - Communication is key between us and our clients, especially for the ones that are in different states and time zones. Weekly calls with our client's team helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and making sure that deadlines are met.

X - When we get onsite, we always think of things that can make our lives easier the next time. We bring our own Xerox machine to make copies on site. If you happen to forget yours though, there are usually business centers in hotels or local copy shops near by. Just remember, it's always cheaper to do it yourself and sticking to budgets are everything in our industry.

Y - Most of our clients have their events occur on a yearly basis. The minute we are done with a client's event, we start the planning for the following year. Sometimes the planning overlaps if our client ones to announce next year's event location and dates during their conference.

Z - After the long days of the event are over, the first thing we want to do is get some zzzz's before the kickoff of the next big event.