Lunch Provision

If providing lunch for exhibitors, they will appreciate being able to have it prior to the delegates breaking for lunch. This must be pre-arranged with caterers and will result in stands being fully manned during breaks. The menu for lunch will have been decided upon some time before. If tables and chairs are not available in the lunch room, order a fork, or more preferably, a finger buffet so that delegates will be able to eat it easily. Most venues have a range of menus to suit a variety of budgets and seating arrangements and will be able to give advice based on their experience.

Remembering Speaker Care

Even experienced speakers can suffer from nerves before presenting, and this is no bad thing as the resulting increase in adrenalin often helps to boost the speaker’s performance. There are certain steps, though, that can be taken to prevent the speakers becoming unnecessarily stressed. As mentioned in the chapter on choosing speakers, you should have provided the speakers with adequate directions to the venue and instructions as to what to do on arrival, such as whether they need to register with you and collect a badge, or whether they need to report to another person. If your budget and the facilities allow, it is useful to have a separate room for the speakers’ use, where they can prepare themselves, run through their slides and generally get away from the hustle and bustle of the main conference area.

Before their talk is not the time to discuss payments and other details. Wait until after the presentation so that the speakers can remain focused on the job in hand.

Checking Arrangements

• By requesting each speaker’s estimated time of arrival and method of transport in advance you will be in a position to know whether there is any cause for concern if a speaker has not arrived at the start of the conference. Other commitments may prevent them from attending the whole event and you will expend much-needed energy and resources chasing missing speakers who may have had no intention of arriving until lunchtime for their afternoon talk.

 

 

 

• If visual aids are being used, introduce the speaker to the operator so that necessary information can be exchanged and time can be arranged for setting up their particular AV system.

 

• Don’t forget the chairperson when dealing with speaker issues. Ensure they have been introduced to the day’s speakers and that they have appropriate biographies to enable them to introduce them. They should also have a list of any ‘housekeeping’ notices they need to give, such as any health and safety instructions, lunch notices, etc.

 

• If you are in the luxurious position of having some or all of the speakers arriving for rehearsals prior to the event (perhaps whilst you are setting up the day before) allocate each of them a time slot so that they are aware that you will be working to a schedule. It is unfortunately not uncommon to set up a rehearsal afternoon and for all of the speakers to turn up expecting the technician’s undivided attention during the final half-hour.

 

• Bottled mineral water or a jug of fresh water and glasses should be available on or close to the lectern for the speakers and chairperson. One of the symptoms of nerves is a dry throat, so make sure that lubrication is within easy reach!

 

Trouble-Shooting

In the event of a disaster – the screen falls over, the sound system breaks down, a speaker fails to arrive – stay calm! Everyone will look to you for the answer; it is not the incident that will be remembered – it is how quickly you get things back together.

At the end of the day, don’t forget to have a look around for any belongings that have been left behind by delegates. You will often find a jumper, an umbrella and someone’s delegate bag containing their scrupulously taken notes. As the delegates are leaving all staff must be courteous and make the delegates feel that their presence has been appreciated.

Enjoying Yourself

Above all, enjoy the event! Delegates, speakers and management will all take their cue from you as the key person. If you appear relaxed, cheerful but alert and ready to respond to any emergency, so will they. Conversely, if you appear nervous, anxious and look upon the whole event as a burden rather than a challenge, no one will enjoy it.