For a client and their meeting planner, there is no greater feeling than when a carefully and strategically designed event comes off flawlessly. Conversely, there’s no worse feeling than when a stress-filled, poorly planned, over-budget event falls flat. That situation is actually avoidable.
Consider Scenario 1: Your keynote speaker is running late for no apparent reason. A presentation isn’t loading properly. A microphone cuts out. Stage lighting still isn’t properly focused. The ballroom simply isn’t ready when it’s time for doors. A last-minute change has created an emergency huddle backstage. You look up and the client is headed your way and there’s nothing but rising anger on display. And you’re about to get both barrels.
Now, let’s consider Scenario 2: Your load-in and tech rehearsal runs like clockwork. The event space is perfect. Everything that could fail technically has a built-in, redundant system so only the men and women in black running the show are aware of any hitches and glitches. Speaker rehearsals have your client smiling and supremely confident. All crew members have enough pre-show time for a “bio break” [not an option when matters are hitting the fan]. Your client and the hundreds of attendees waiting in the pre-function area have high expectations they’re ready to rock ‘n roll.
It’s show time!
Doors open precisely at 8AM and lively walk-in music greets your attendees. Graphics look great, lighting is pristine, audio is crisp, clear and balanced. One by one, presenters take the stage and knock it outta the proverbial park. All show cues are hit, segments track to schedule, your audience reacts with obvious enthusiasm, and all is right with the world because everyone nailed it. Nirvana!
SO, WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
When everything rocks along perfectly – at least from the client’s and audience’s perspective – was their pixie dust involved or sheer luck? Did something magical occur? In reality no. But in essence, yes. And it’s called the magic of shared responsibility and investment of time and resources during the all-important phase of pre-production. The larger and more complex the show, the more importance is assigned to collaboration during pre-production. Earlier the better.
So, what is this “pre-production” a client might wonder, and what does it take? “I have a job to do, you know.”
Let’s take a closer look …
The crazy irony of perfectly executed events is: The better the planning and pre-pro, the less visible it is. Things just smoothly and quietly fall into place, seamless. For meeting professionals, that “invisible work” is the most valuable part of the partnership …and one of the most overlooked.
The RFP/Response and final AV Proposal aren’t the whole story. It’s relatively easy to evaluate AV bids by comparing equipment, crew/expertise and pricing. The harder part is what happens before the first piece of equipment arrives onsite. And a successful outcome sows its seeds early-on in the process by working through often mind-bending questions that must find answers in pre-production.
What type of experience are we seeking for this program to be considered successful?
What are the most important messages, and which ones are keys to achieving your desired outcome?
How do we support those messages, and reinforce them effectively once introduced?
Where are the operational landmines buried, and what can we do now to avoid them?
If “it takes a village”, who are these AV/Production “villagers” and how should we best assign them while keeping firm reins on the project budget?
What snags should we anticipate and address before, during and after the show and what are our back-up plans to ensure a smooth execution?
Where’s the updated Critical Timeline and what can we do to make sure we honor it?
And perhaps most importantly, who is responsible for making all those pieces work together?
Etc., etc., etc.
Working through those questions shifts the conversation from renting expensive items to delivering the right and perfect outcome that advances your business goals and objectives. Lighting, sound and projection gear are critically important components but they can only come to life when these all-important questions are thoughtfully and strategically answered so nobody experiences onsite confusion, sloppiness due to haste, busted schedules, in-show disasters, overtime, and budgetary overruns.
If the early bird gets the worm, the early engagement between production partner and client ensures the client gets rockstar status.
So what can I do?
As the client, the one whose reputation and potential career advancement is on the line, there are five critically important commitments you can make:
1. Align on the definition of success.
Before discussing staging, speakers, décor, F& B, logistics, etc., client and planner must agree on what the event needs to accomplish. What will success look like? [Reread the previous sentence.] Is the goal to educate, motivate, launch a product, strengthen relationships, generate leads or drive action? Or all of the above? Clearly articulated and agreed-upon objectives at the outset give every subsequent planning decision a purpose.
2. Share information early and be transparent about constraints.
Your planner needs the full picture: budget, attendee profile, executive expectations, sensitivities, venue limitations, brand requirements, timelines and potential challenges. Surprises discovered six weeks before an event can become expensive last-minute or onsite problems. Sharing the good, the bad and the ugly early gives the planner more flexibility to work around them.
3. Build the experience together, not just the agenda.
Work with your planner to map the attendee journey from arrival through departure, even post-event follow-up in the weeks after. Consider registration, wayfinding, room transitions, meals, networking, presentations, technology, messaging/reinforcement, and moments of engagement. The best events aren’t simply a gaggle of free-standing sessions; they’re carefully choreographed experiences that should be relevant and interconnected.
4. Make decisions — and identify decision-makers — early.
Nothing bogs down pre-production like uncertainty over who has final approval, waiting for answers and receiving mixed messages from multiple stakeholders. Establish who owns what decisions, what requires executive approval, and when those decisions must be made. Then stick to the agreed-upon Critical Timeline. Update the timeline constantly and red-flag potential issues. Early decisions allow the planner time to source, test and refine rather than scramble, thereby protecting your budget.
5. Treat rehearsals, testing and contingency planning as essential — not optional.
A successful event is often made or broken on problems that never happen. Client executives, presenters and planners must actively participate in rehearsals and technical run-throughs, test presentations, as well as videos, Show Flow review, and Plan B scenarios. Ask the planner: “What could go wrong, and what’s the plan for dealing with it?”
The big takeaway
The strongest client-planner relationships are collaborative from Day One [another sentence worth re-reading]. The foundation of a true, sustainable partnership is established in the earliest days. When the client brings clarity, timely decisions and organizational knowledge to the planning table, and the planner brings experience, creativity and execution expertise, the pre-production process becomes the biggest reason why you and your attendees walk away energized and smiling after delivering a meaningful and successful event experience that advances your organization, your goals and objectives, and your professional reputation.
Cheers,
Kenneth Jones
