Running an event smoothly to its conclusion is not a simple matter. This gets even harder if you have various guest speakers all eager and waiting to join the podium and give a few words of wisdom. The few minutes allocated to each of them can turn into hours and hours of exhausting speeches and squeeze the rest of the program. To avoid such mistakes, getting an events agency to organize your event for you is essential. This is because they have tactical ways of dealing with difficult speakers and cutting off long winded speeches. This they can do by employing various tricks that include:
Use of timers
Timers and beeping machines that suddenly go off are very convenient. This is because most speakers will not take it kindly if a person walks up to them and tells them to wind up their long speech. The events agency will keep alerts and beepers that indicate the assigned time is over and therefore there will be no need for one on one contact with the speaker. The employees are most likely not acquainted with the speaker and if they tell them to cut their speech short they will take less offense as compared to someone they know doing it.
Time planning
Apart from impromptu parties, all events need to be well planned and each action has a specific time allocation. Unfortunately, there are no books to help you with this planning and only experience makes for the best planning. Employing an event agency will ensure things run smoothly because they have extensive experience in this kind of planning. You are less likely to have poorly budgeted time when you use the experts than when you choose to do things without any particular plan. This will ensure greater success for your event and all the stages will run smoothly.
Selection of speakers
An events company will go a long way in helping you to choose the best speakers. This is because they are more likely to have come across the prominent speakers in other occasions and learnt their traits. They will be well aware of the speakers you should steer clear of and those that will make your event enjoyable and keep to allocated time. Speakers can ruin or make your event and so choosing only the best is not only logical but very necessary. If you are arranging an event that you have never done before, have professionals at hand to help you with choosing speakers.
Drawing of speaker contracts
It is very important that your speakers understand the terms of your agreement. If they have been contracted to talk about a particular topic, they should not veer out of line or give irrelevant content. This calls for them to be well prepared and to have researched well. Remember that their lack of commitment could be very embarrassing to you. Contracts can be drawn and the speakers made to sign with the amount of compensation to be given well stated. It should also state clearly how they can withdraw from the event and what fee they will be charged for doing so. This will avoid conflict and enhance your event.
Kenneth Fabian, Founder & Owner of OGL Asia – a brand activation company specialising in Events, Exhibition and Design Communications since 1989.
With 27 years of experience, Kenneth was able to gather the right contacts, strategies and resources to ensure an effective brand engagement.
Originally posted on June 27, 2013 @ 3:08 pm