Module Descriptions
Module 1: Program Development and Speakers
Establishing meaningful and measurable goals and objectives is the first step to planning a successful
meeting. This module will familiarize the meeting professional with developing objectives and using
them effectively. The learner will understand how goals differ from objectives and why an ROI (Return
on Investment) process is crucial in evaluating your meeting. The module will also focus on the process
of designing appropriate program elements, themes and activities. This includes determining your
speaker and meeting space needs.
Module 2: Site Selection, Finance, and Contracts
Selecting the appropriate site is of primary importance to the success of the meeting. The location,
features and amenities of the venue will influence the meeting professional’s ability to deliver a
successful event and the attendees’ ability to achieve their objectives. The meeting’s budget will be a
major deciding factor when making your site selection and other vendor decisions. The budget will work
as a tool to control income and expenses throughout the entire planning process. This session will look
at the ins and outs of a meeting budget and discuss how to effectively use the budget to guide
negotiations of the various contracts required to plan a meeting. The components of a contract will also
be reviewed during this session.
Module 3: Sponsorship, Marketing, and Human Resources
Regardless of the type of meeting that is being planned, some marketing will have to take place, and in
many circumstances additional publicity and media. It is imperative to market not only to the pending
delegates, but to all the various stakeholders of the meeting. This session will help the meeting
professional assess the need of the target audiences and market appropriately. Another priority to
ensure the success of a meeting is human resource management, as interaction with many people is
required to plan a meeting or event. It is important that the meeting professional can understand the
core competencies of each role and be conscious of ethics in all dealings and negotiations. The planning
of international meetings will also be reviewed during this session.
Module 4: Risk Management and Logistics
This session will review the actual logistics of the meeting including the first impression of registration
along with taking care of any meeting VIPs. It is critical to have an operations manual developed that
outline procedures and guidelines for each area from the pre-meeting activities to the post meeting
wrap-up. Risk management strategies will be addressed to ensure an emergency plan is in place.
Module 5: Technology, Tradeshows, and Evaluations
Almost all conferences require some kind of audio/visual aid. Selecting the appropriate equipment is
crucial to the success of the presentation. As technology becomes more sophisticated it is important to
understand the available options and the benefits and limitations of each. At the end of this session the
meeting professional will understand the basic audio visual equipment. Also addressed in this module is
the hosting of trade shows and how they can enhance the meeting or convention. Trade shows can also
be a significant source of revenue for the host organization. The final component of the course will be
post-event activities and how to evaluate the overall success of your meeting.