Event & Meeting Management Fundamentals

If you're looking to become an event or meeting planner, or you've been planning events for a while but never got proper training, this is the ultimate course for you. Here you'll get a thorough understanding of how events work, why people and companies host events, how the industry is configured, and how to strategically plan and coordinate a typical event from A to Z. (Full syllabus is listed below).

This course will cover the role of events in today's world, budgets and goals, workflow management, venue selection and negotiation, room layouts and seating formats, food and beverage, entertainment and speakers, design and decor, transportation and logistics, registration and check-in, hybrid meetings, apps and technology, basic lighting and audio visual, and more.

Gain Hands-On Planning Experience

Students will work together, using the skills learned in class, to plan an actual event attended by the local event industry. This is an opportunity to gain practical hands-on planning experience, make new industry contacts in the planning process, and add an event to your portfolio and resume. The event students will plan is a Maverick Series Live event, featuring one-on one interviews with leading industry icons, such as Colin Cowie.

Guest Speakers
The course will feature a variety of expert guest speakers from the NYC event industry sharing their insights on a wide range of topics, including:

• Anna Sekula
• Mark Shearon
• Michelle Rosen Sapir
• Sarah Pease

Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand how to create an event that achieves specific objectives for the host/client.
2. Design a planning process that incorporates budgeting, project management, communication and evaluation tools.
3. Have an understanding of the various event elements (food and beverage, design, entertainment, site selection, etc.) and how to cost-effectively employ them.
4. Understand the role of the planner on site at the event, and the mindset necessary to oversee successful event coordination.

Syllabus:

Industry Overview

• Defining A Special Event 
• Human Considerations & Success Factors
• Designing An Event
• Event Types
• Client Needs
• Evolution of the Experiential Industry
• Careers in the Industry
• Understanding the Players: Who Does What 

The Role of A Planner

• Backgrounds, Experience 
• Typical Planning Department Structures 
• Pre-Event Responsibilities 
• On-Site Responsibilities 
• Post-Event Responsibilities 

Event Architecture

• Establishing Objectives 
• Knowing Your Audience 
• Selecting the Right Event Format

Establishing the Creative Vision

• Getting Buy-In From the Decision-Maker 
• Expressing Your Information 
• Elements of A Proposal 
• Key Business Considerations 

Project Management

• Goal Setting 
• Resource Evaluation 
• Timeline Management 
• SWOT Analysis 
• Team Roles & Communication 
• Tracking & Evaluation 

Finance & Budgeting

• Budgeting & Forecasting 
• Income & Expense Analysis 
• Fixed vs. Variable Costs 
• What Things Cost 
• R.O.I. - Understanding Return On Investment 

Contracts & Negotiations

• Key Parts of A Contract 
• Typical Industry Clauses 
• Stages of Negotiation 
• Negotiating Strategies 

Site Selection & Management

• Destination Selection 
• Venue Selection 
• Site Inspections 
• Ancillary Support: Tents, Power, Sanitation, WiFi 

Risk Management

• The Americans with Disabilities Act 
• Risk Assessment 
• Emergency Response Planning 

Spatial Design

• Objectives vs. Design 
• Meshing Elements Together 
• Crowd Experience 
• Standard Designs Review 
• Room Design Software 

Food & Beverage

• Types & Terms 
• Buying Food & Beverage | Providers 

Audio Visual

• Sound 
• Lighting 
• Staging 
• Video 

Guest Services & Logistics

• Invitations & Registrations 
• On-Site Check-In 
• Transportation & Parking 
• Way Finding & Directional Signage Security & Emergency 
• Translation 
• Concierge 

Entertainment & Speakers

• Types 
• How to Employ In Design 
• Buying Tips 

Marketing & Technology

• Options for Marketing 
• Marketing Plan Goals 
• Leveraging Technology 
• Mobile Apps & Social Media 
• Photo/Video Capture and Post-Event Usage 
• Virtual/Hybrid Event Options 

Coordinating the Event, Day-Of

• Load In and Set Up 
• Who Oversees What
• What Planners Should Be Doing During the Event 

Service & Staffing

• How to Estimate Staff Needs For Various Services 
• Selecting the Right On-Site Staff 

Sustainability

• Key Terms 
• Options for A More Environmentally Friendly Event
• Cost vs. Impact