Planning Your Seminar

Many wonderful events have ended in disaster, due to lack of adequate planning.
This can be avoided if only one is careful enough to plan ahead of any event.
You can start with a checklist of all items that you may need in the seminar.
These may include;
1.Cash Receipt
2.Promo Materials
3.Name Tags
4.Handouts
5.List of Attendees with payment records
6.Products to be sold at the seminar
7.Freebies if any
8.Registration Sheet
9.Business Cards

Seminar Dates
Most seminars are normally held during weekends (Saturdays and Sundays).
You have to decide if the seminar will be done on any of these days or if it will be a one day or two days seminar?
You can also arrange your seminar to coincide with special holidays or work free days.
However, one must realize that there is not a perfect day.
Once you decide on the seminar date, go ahead and plan adequately for it.
Seminar Venue
Check to see that the venue has been booked and confirmed.
Check to see if the venue is large enough to accommodate the expected number of participants.
Check to see if the venue has a good sound system and adequate ventilation.
The seminar venue should also be easily accessible to participants.
Using Outside Speakers
When you are organizing a seminar, there are basically two options opened to you.
Either you do it entirely on your own, or you invite other speakers to participate.
When inviting outside speakers, make sure you have seen them speak before, and also confirm their availability for the event.
Advance request should be sent to them through letter of invitation and follow up can be done through email or telephone.
Make sure they are given the topic to speak on in advance, and never forget to make all financial transaction clear before the seminar date.
Note: Make an exigency plan in case the outside speaker disappoints or fails to show up.