The Planner

It isn't easy to be a planner. Planning involvesbudget allotted for the conference
creating, setting up and inventing. Planning involves• nothing stops or stands in the way of the
preparing for exigencies too. A planner can't afford toconference.
be narrow-minded or to live in a small world. A• post-conference evaluation is executed properly
planner has to take a wide-spectrum view of things.Conference Agenda
He or she has to be clairvoyant to a certain extent,The agenda for a meeting or event has to be drawn
has to be a good guesser. Strangely, a planner shouldup with painstaking effort. The agenda generally
possess contradicting qualities. While he or she has toincludes several topics for discussion. A planner has to
possess good administrative capabilities and have hisbe mature enough to gauge which topics should be
or her feet planted firmly on the ground, it is alsoincorporated in the agenda and which topics should
required for him or her to be a dreamer. Unless abe left out. A planner should do some brainstorming
planner can dream, he or she won't be able to be abefore delineating the final agenda or else he or she
visionary. And unless he or she's a visionary, he ormight come up with an agenda that focuses on less
she won't be able to look into the future. A plannerimportant topics, that leaves out topics requiring
has to be ambitious, has to know his or her goals,immediate and great attention, and that sets the
has to know where he or she wants to go. If astage for an unproductive meeting which is a perfect
planner is working for a company, then they have towaste of everybody's time. It is imperative that the
know where they want to take the company andplanner makes arrangements for obstructions and
the approximate time that they'll take to get there. Ahurdles that might surface at the eleventh hour or
planner is an architect, a builder, a prime mover.otherwise the entire plan, meeting and event may
A conference planner needn't always be a humancollapse like a house of cards. A conference planner
being. A meeting planner can be a manual, amust always ensure that the agenda comprises
guidebook or even a software. Many people prefertopics that address relevant issues pertaining to the
'inanimate' planners over human planners. They saycompany and the discussion of which, will ultimately
that inanimate, non-living planners are better athelp in increasing company profits and employee
planning, make lesser errors because of the very factproductivity and improving the overall prospects of
that they aren't human, and help to mechanize thethe company.
entire planning process. But others say that they onlyMeeting Minutes
stereotype the planning process. They say thatA meeting planner should also assign the task of
'non-human' planners follow a fixed pattern ofrecording meeting minutes to someone responsible.
task-setting, aren't flexible and cannot deal with manyHe or she should inform the concerned person in
aspects of planning, precisely because of the factadvance so that the proceedings of the meeting are
that they aren't human. As the number of peopleproperly recorded. This is essential as people, in
who are for the motion, 'a meeting planner shouldgeneral, have short memories and might not be able
always be a human being' equate the number ofto recall what passed at the meeting, a few days
people who are against the motion, let's delve deeperafter the meeting's over.
into the issue to find out who can be the best eventPost Mortem
planner.A conference planner should also perform a detailed
Conference Plannerreview of the meeting after it is over. This
The conference planners of a company are eitherpost-conference review is required to ascertain
'internal' people who are chosen for the job ofwhether or not the event was well conducted,
conference planning by their seniors or 'external'whether or not the discussions were productive,
event managers recruited specially for managing thewhether or not the event made an impression and a
conference event.mark on everyone, and whether or not the event will
An external conference planner always charges aactually be instrumental for the achievement of
huge sum for the event management processcompany goals.
because the external conference planner uses theirWho or What Can Qualify as a Conference Planner?
expertise for the process of event management. AnIt is evident that there is practically no end to the
external conference planner may also be a certifiedduties and responsibilities of a planner. A planner has
meeting planner. Companies select only thoseto shoulder the entire burden of an event, of
external conference planners who have proven trackdevising strategies, and the consequences of his or
records in conference management. But the problemher own plans, which might be successful or which
with an external conference planner is that while theymight backfire. A planner should not make any faux
have a flair and finesse for expert conferencepas. As there is a lot of risk involved in planning, few
management, they are not aware of the company'speople wish to be planners. If the plan goes off well,
goals and other company nitty-gritty. As a result,then they receive heaps of praises but if something
they may help a company to host a grand event,goes amiss, and the event is a disaster, then the
but can do little in making the event productive andentire onus falls on the planners and they're under
everlasting. Hence, company seniors often use thefire. Many, therefore, feel that planning requires
services of an external conference planner whentraining. Those with degrees in event management or
hosting trade shows for the public or hosting athose who are certified meeting planners are hence
promotional, events that are linked to the company'soften chosen as planners, over others. But
goals, indirectly. Where conferences focus directly onprofessional event managers and smart certified
company goals, bottom-lines, targets, strengths, andmeeting planners also fail sometimes. For a planner, a
weaknesses, company seniors prefer assigning thedegree is not a sufficient guarantor.
conference planning task to insiders, who can alignSo, many companies make use of planning guides and
the conference management process to the shortsoftware for effective planning before events. As
and long term goals of the company, better.has been mentioned earlier, these too have their
Duties of a Conference Plannerfaults, the main fault being that they can't warranty
Conference planning is a complicated task. Aexcellent planning precisely because of the fact that
conference planner has to be meticulous and precise.they aren't human. They automate the planning
A conference planner has to have an insight into theprocess but cannot think creatively and prepare for
future. While a conference planner should always belast-minute snags. They're incapable of adapting
optimistic, he or she has to be somewhat pessimisticthemselves to new and unusual situations. Some of
too, and prepare carefully for unforeseen events andthem are rather expensive to purchase and use. As
last-minute emergencies. A conference planner has tomost of them don't fulfill the basic as well as the
keep the budget in mind while planning events. It's nospecific needs of organizations, company managers
point hosting grand events that overshoot theget fed up of using them and give up on them after
conference budget. A conference planner needs tosome time.
have an accurate intuitive sense, especially aboutSo what to do?
figures, because it's a total waste if a banquet hasValid question. If a planner has to surmount so many
been organized for a large gathering and only a fewcomplexities, who or what can be the ideal and
people turn up.reliable planner? What is the solution to this
A conference planner has to ensure that:problematic question? Is there any solution at all or
• a comprehensive meeting agenda for theshould people be resigned to the fact that planning in
conference has been set down, which addresses alladvance will always be fraught with risks and
the important requirements and goals of thedangers? We answer in the negative. Planning ahead
company.of times needn't be such a headache or such a
• a suitable time and date for the conference hashazardous operation. Because there is one kind of
been selected. Conference scheduling is a trickyplanner in the whole world, just one kind of planner,
business and has to be done with much deliberation.that is completely trustworthy and fail-safe. This
• conference minutes and summaries will beparticular type of high-end planner is capable of
recorded properlygenerating foolproof plans for you and your
• a suitable conference venue has been selectedcompany. It is a personal planner as well as a
where the conference may be hosted.corporate planner that can plan for generic tasks as
• the seating arrangements are in order andwell as for specific and explicit tasks. It is a planner
according to company hierarchythat is capable of offering customized and end-to-end
• the conference hall acoustics are in ordersolutions to the meeting management and the
• all conference equipment including audiovisualbusiness management processes. This particular sort
equipment are present in the conference room andof planner has a massive storage capacity and can
are working properlystore oceans of data in it and allows you to retrieve
• invitations have been sent, well in advance, todata from it, in seconds. It is a planner that can help
attendees and participantsyou to network professionally through its platform
• final confirmations about how many people aresans any glitches. It is a planner that functions as a
attending have been mademeeting scheduler, meeting planner, business planner
• conference kits and stationery are prepared soas well as an online organizer. It is a planner that can
that they can be given to the key attendeeshelp you frame meeting agenda, wisely; think with
• the catering service selected for the event isoriginality; plan for crises in advance so that they
reliable and the caterers don't fail to turn up. Thedon't wreck all conference plans when they arise; and
menu and the amount of food to be prepared alsospearhead the conference and business management
have to be mentioned by the conference planner toprocesses. It is the only kind of online planner that
the caterers, in advance, after the final estimatedcan make you an able leader, that can help you to
head count.lead from the front, so that you're always part of
• rehearsals of the conference are conductedthe vanguard, wherever you are. It is a sort of
several times before the day of the actualplanner that can transform you into a path-breaker, a
conference so that the presenters know who willtrailblazer. What is more, it is a planner that offers all
speak after whom and so that there are nothese services and more to you, free of cost. Yes, it
botch-ups in front of the conference audience on theis a planner that doesn't charge anything from you
actual daywhile helping you to plan because its only aim is to
• the cost of hosting the entire event is within theserve you well.