Corporate Events Plus

Large projects need a large team of professionals, heads of departments managing sometimes multiple teams of carpenters, riggers, lighting crew, audio visual and graphics departments. All departments have their own agenda but knitting these teams together is something that really interests me.

I ask each Head of Department what they like to do for a hobby or what they would like to be doing given the chance, I take their thoughts and transfer them into a picture for the staff room wall.

A deserted island to enjoy a holiday, a picture of the Swiss mountains for walking, images of landmarks for home countries, the great barrier reef for diving and no prizes for guessing who the picture of the flying BMW racing car is for. The pictures are a talking point and can create good feeling.

Another year on Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, each year the event expands, the booth we manage has grown too. Great work to be involved with.

What a start to the year – we have not stopped and the peddle is to the floor until May it seems – 3 large scale projects with 3 week gaps between them in February – March & April has had us at pre planning both here in chilly Suffolk and in Barcelona where we have been making the most of the winter sun.

New and old suppliers being coerced by imposing deadlines from both ends of the project, the customer and the venue have seen us juggle budgets, materials to be used and designs to be stretched to accommodate. If it was easy anyone could do it. Having a strong core team really helps when there is a deadline to be reached. 

Next month we are in Spain and looking forward to the Mobile World Congress – our 5th year on the project.

It really has been that cold at the office – one of our customers appreciated this image I took in the carpark

Why do we tape off the back row at conference events?

The audience tends to be a bit shy – not wanting to get too close to the front of the presentation room. If you do not load the conference room from the front of the room you can end up with an empty void between the presenter on stage and the first delegates. By using tape to block the back rows and ushering delegates to the front of the room you encourage the room to fill more evenly.

When late arrivals want to join the conference once it has started, it is possible to undo the tape to the back rows and the late arrivals can feed into the back of the room without disturbing the main body of the audience.

Fantastic, as we arrive at the end of another busy year it is time for us to have time off work for good behaviour. Although we are not done just yet we have a trip to Berlin this week for product testing and supplier meetings in Barcelona just before we close for the Christmas Break.

Next week 12 – 16 December we are all on annual leave recharging the battery’s.

Great week of work, Technically Directing 2 conferences in Cardiff with an evening dinner for 300 delegates followed by a recce of venues for work in Madrid in Spain next April.

The venues we have been working in have also been spectacular, we just don’t seem to make impressive buildings like this now and much of the beauty is in the ceiling with intricate chandeliers and plaster work.

Cardiff City Hall Conference for 300 with ‘cafe’ style seating

Aerial artists from No Fit Sate Circus from Cardiff Wales in the foyer of The Museum of Wales

Venues visited in Madrid Spain for potential evening functions

A nice comment of recognition for our efforts by our client too…..

”Lastly a particular thanks to Art, Sue and Ian for helping us find local contractors and delivering great production, sound and vision throughout.”

I can not remember the last time we did not produce an event during a calendar month. This month it has all been about pre event planning. Cardiff, Madrid, Barcelona, Birmingham and Liverpool. Recce’s, meetings, venue visits all good news for the future order book.

How to run a successful planning meeting? We have all been there.

Sat in a meeting or holding on the end of the phone. Waiting for the leader to join the meeting or questioning why we have given up precious time to listen to a disorganized meeting.

There are plenty of lists of how to run a successful meeting? All available on the Internet although I have found the following points helpful for myself.

• Identify the purpose of the meeting.

(Do you need a meeting?)

• Make sure you have an agenda for the meeting.

(Either write the agenda or ask for one in advance)

• Invite and hold the date.
• Allow enough time for the meeting.

(Someone leaving halfway through to go to another meeting can cause the meeting to fail)

• Start the meeting on time – aim to finish on time
• Choose the correct environment.

(Are there enough chairs? Are you discussing sensitive information? Can other people listen in to the discussion?)

• Understand your role within the meeting.

(Are you expected to present or share information to the group?)

• Confirm who is writing up the meeting notes and circulate post meeting.

Each department is just as important.

Why is the project successful? What makes a successful delivery of an Exhibition booth?

We are under pressure to deliver a project to time, to budget and to exceed customer expectation. Take for example in the world of sport it is not enough now to only have raw talent to win or achieve gold.

Incremental contributing factors all build together over time to succeed.

This has made me look in greater detail at some of the projects we get involved with. The really successful projects are where we have control of all the suppliers and there is a clear line of communication between departments.

When you look at the components of an exhibition build the most valuable component are the chosen staff for the project, however there are departments that are provided by the venue or customer that need to integrate.

The departments some people dismiss as if they are just part of the furniture.

The security guards who protect assets overnight are just as important as the technical crew, the cleaners are as important as the Designer, the Production Manger is just as important as the driver delivering the freight.

I guess what I am saying is everyone involved with a project is equally important and for the project to succeed fully you need to align with every department and make them feel engaged – the return to the project in effort from suppliers who are engaged with the project using this approach is immeasurable.

Here is a snap of our crew in Cologne this week, Security, helping hands, carpenters, transport managers and electricians. What a great group of people.

Be ready! Have the conference call phone number and participant access code (if any) ready so you don’t have to search for it at the last minute. Writing them down on your calendar is a good idea

Call timing: Call in just a couple of minutes before the beginning of the call. Don’t call in late because calls should begin promptly on time.

There must be an agenda – Not only must there be an agenda, but it needs to be in front of everyone.  The agenda keeps the meeting on track, and allows all on the call to know the purpose of the call.  It gives direction.

Making or reading agendas ahead of a meeting and writing notes during. You’ll get more out of a call if you put pen to paper .

A person’s voice is significantly less recognizable than their face. It’s a good idea for all participants to introduce themselves when the meeting starts.

The only thing people should be able to hear on your line is either silence or your voice – not a noisy office, barking dog or screaming child. It makes it difficult for everyone else to listen to the call.

Focus on the call: Be courteous to your conference call leader and your fellow participants, by giving your full attention to the call.

Video image option, show your commitment to the call and use the video camera option if available, your co-workers can then see you are fully committed to the content of the call and remind them that if you are not required on the call you may be able to leave the call early.

If using the video function try to stay still so you do not distract the meeting.

Remember to smile when you can and look interested – who wants a meeting with someone who is not engaged in the conversation?

Alie Tilley earlier this month lost her struggle with Motor Neurone Disease. We found out in February that Alie had been diagnosed and that although the outlook was bleak we were all hoping that there was enough time for her to prepare but sadly this was not to be the case. Today is Alie’s funeral.

Alie and her friends have been campaigning to raise money for a years worth of research funding towards finding a cure for those who are also affected by MND.

Personally I loved working with and for Alie, she was the most professional person to work alongside. The complete ability to sum up a clients request and to deliver the vision a customer wanted with assistance from a group of first class suppliers who she was fiercely loyal to was amazing. I never saw her once under deliver a project – she only ever exceeded expectations.

If you want to donate to Alie’s fundraising please click onto the website

http://www.aaa.uk.com

Really useful, I would recommend  you take this course, I have done this 4 times over the years, each time you go you are qualified for 3 years, there are changes to technique for CPR from the last course so I am glad I have kept up to date. The knowledge is there for all, one day out of your busy schedule and you could save the life of a colleague.