Communicating through High-level Events (G039)

Workshops > Complete List > Communicating for Success

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

Special events are opportunities to engage stakeholders and communicate face-to-face with key target audiences. A special event is one of the most direct and personal forms of communication resulting in greater transparency and accountability - increasingly critical considerations in the public sector environment. Events can also be complex and labour-intensive undertakings fraught with challenges that can affect the brand and reputation of an organization and its (relations with?) stakeholders. The execution of a successful internal or external event requires strategic and systematic planning based on realistic results and a sound understanding of an organization's environment, stakeholders and audiences. This workshop outlines a step-by-step approach to high-level events planning and execution. It is designed for communications practitioners and others in the public sector who are tasked with planning and implementing - possibly working with contractors - various types of high-level events, including program launches, consultations, ministerial announcements, townhalls and others.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

  • Identifying the elements of a successful and high impact event
  • Determining an organization's environment and stakeholder expectations
  • Developing a sound communications strategy for the event
  • Setting realistic event results to attain desired outcomes
  • Assigning roles and responsibilities to organizing committee members, and how to best allocate limited resources
  • Developing strategies on how to handle risks and challenges in order to avoid logistical nightmares
  • Dealing with the media before and during the event
  • Leveraging the impact of the event
  • Evaluating and measuring the impact of the event

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

Workbook with checklists and how-to-tips on planning and executing a successful high-level event.

Agenda

  

8:45 - 9:00 AM

Participant Introductions and Workshop Overview

9:00 - 9:45 AM

The High Level Event and it's Success Factors

  • Overview of different types of events
  • Taking the strategic approach
  • Questions to answer before starting

10:00 - 10:15 AM

Break

10:15 - 11:30 AM

Planning for a Successful Event

  • Criteria for a successful event
  • Planning for realistic results
  • What are the drivers for the event?
  • Situational analysis - outlining risks and opportunities
  • Who does what? Assigning roles and responsibilities to organizing committee members, as well as the allocation of limited resources
  • Determining the scope of the event: what are the key considerations? (e.g. horizontality and inter-departmental coordination, determining participants and guests, choosing the right venue, visuals, scenario, speeches, protocol and the approval process, promotion, printed materials, media, etc.

11:30 - 12:30 PM

Exercise: Developing the Elements of an Event Plan
Participants working in groups will develop the framework for a special event which outlines desired outcomes, a brief situational analysis, target audiences, roles and responsibilities and a preliminary event scenario. Each group will be asked to present their event plan and scenario.

12:30 - 1:30 PM

Lunch

1:30 - 2:30 PM

Executing the Event: Dos and Don'ts

  • Developing an event checklist
  • Tools and resources for a successful event
  • Best approaches for on-site management of an event and risk mitigation (a.k.a. "The importance of having a Plan B")
  • Working with the media

2:30 - 2:45 PM

Break

2:45 - 3:30 PM

Leveraging and Evaluating the Impact of the Event

  • Strategies and methods to extend the reach of the event
  • Methods to measure the outcome of the event

3:30 - 4:15 PM

Exercise: Executing and Leveraging the Event
Participants working in groups will develop a customized event checklist and outline a brief strategy for extending the reach of their event. Each group will be asked to present their checklist and leverage plan.

4:15 - 4:30 PM

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Instructor

Carl Martin

Carl Martin is a fluently bilingual strategic communications and marketing specialist with experience in a wide range of areas including issues management, media relations, special events and brand development and management.

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When, Where How much?

November 26, 2010 -
Accepting Registrations

Suite 205, 223 Colonnade Road
South, Ottawa

$ 675 (+ tax)

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By mail

The Centre for Excellence in Communications
Suite 214,
223 Colonnade Rd South
Ottawa, Ontario,
K2E 7K3

By email

registration@comcec.com

By telephone

(613) 233 2175

By fax

(613) 233 7617

E-mail Updates

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TESTIMONIALS

"Very interactive and kept us participating until the end"

"It was a small group so the focus was good"

"The casual atmosphere provided for a very good learning experience"

"The instructor provided relevant, interesting examples to help you understand"