© Event Captain 2007
Want to deliver a perfect seminar every time? Do your homework ahead of time and consider these 7 things to ensure your seminar is a success:
Generally, most business conferences and events take place in September, after Labor Day, and run through the week before Thanksgiving. Seminar season starts up again after Valentine's Day until the week before Memorial Day, skipping the weeks around Easter and Passover.
While you will definitely want to avoid holiday weeks no matter who you are trying to reach, know your audience. There are some audiences who are open to attending events in January or during the summer months. January is often a good time to reach out to entrepreneurs. They are looking for ways to build their business in the New Year, and business is often slow the first few weeks of the year. They might be available and open to hearing new ideas. January is also an especially good time to reach out to people in the special event business. There are fewer weddings and parties in the first month of the year and event planners and designers are looking for new speakers, entertainers and ideas to introduce to their clients.
Also be aware of the impact that seasonal weather will have on your seminar. If people have to travel to your seminar, will they be willing to come in the winter if it's raining or snowing? (You will need to make sure you have a coat check if you are having an event during rainy or snowy winter months.) If you are planning a business event during the summer months, make sure your venue is comfortable and in a family-friendly city. Business owners may welcome an opportunity to come to the seminar, and to get away and use the seminar travel as a tax deduction.
Do you have a specific venue in mind? Check their schedule - if you are trying to book your seminar at a popular venue, you'll need to contact them before you start planning. May and June are popular months for proms. Wedding and party season occurs during June, July and August, and hotels, country clubs and community centers are often fully booked. All types of venues are busy from late November through December with holiday celebrations. Always call your venue ahead of time, and have a back-up plan in case it's booked.
Consider your audience when selecting a day. If you are holding local seminars for business people who are being sent to your event by their companies, generally the middle of the week, Tuesday through Thursday, is best. If you are trying to attract business owners, stay at home parents, or employees seeking continuing education, you might be better served scheduling your event on a Saturday. If you are running a seminar that is several days long and will be attended by business owners, schedule it to run through the weekend, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. When you're booking the venue, remember that your best and lowest cost days may be Sunday through Thursday, but pay attention to your audience and their needs. It certainly wouldn't be worth it to rent a venue and not have anyone show up.
Be considerate of people's time. Think about traffic and commuting time when you're scheduling your seminar. Early morning is best for business owners. It gives them time to attend and still get back to the office to work if they need to. Evening seminars can even work well for business people, but be sure you allow time for them to have a meal and travel to your event. End it early enough so they aren't too tired for work the next day. Late afternoon or early evening works well for retirees and seniors.
Check your calendar to make sure that you are not scheduling your seminar on a holiday or during a religious observation that might affect your attendance. Know your audience and be sure to think of every possible scenario - there are many days people observe that are not commonly known. One good source of information for holiday information is www.holidays.net
Stay away from popular, national events that might keep your audience at home. Keep track of sporting events such as the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NCAA championships and all of their playoff dates. Remember Hollywood events such as the Oscars, Emmys or Grammy Awards.
Be aware of local concerts or events going on in your seminar city. Also be aware of local school calendars and their breaks or long weekends. Familiarize yourself with local community celebrations that may keep people away from your seminar. Large cities often host conventions that may fill hotels and restaurants. Check with the Convention and Visitors Bureau or city offices in the area before you schedule your event.
Do you need to book limousines? Then avoid the prom and wedding season and, if you're planning an event in Los Angeles, avoid award ceremony time. Need shuttle buses? Then avoid major cities when they are hosting conventions or important sporting events. Always hire florists, photographers, musicians and others who have seasonal businesses far in advance so they have plenty of time to plan if you require any of their services for your seminar.
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