COMMUNICATING THROUGH HIGH-LEVEL EVENTS (G039)

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.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMPETENCIES

• Thinking Things Through: Innovating through analysis and ideas
• Engagement: Working effectively with people, organizations and partners
• http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tal/kcl/ekl-eng.asp

Agenda
8:45 - 9:00	Introductions and Workshop Overview
9:00 - 9:45	The High Level Event and its Success Factors Overview of different types of events Taking the strategic approach Questions to answer before starting
10:00 - 10:15	Break
10:15 - 11:30	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	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 its event plan and scenario.
12:30 - 13:30	Lunch
13:30 - 14:30	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
14:30 - 14:45	Break
14:45 - 15:30	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
15:30 - 16:15	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 its checklist and leverage plan.
16:15 - 16:30	Wrap-up and Evaluation Participants will complete a short evaluation.