Homework Assignment #1: “Writing Goals and Objectives”
Background: It is important to have goals and objectives when designing and creating events.
Goals and objectives serve as a roadmap as the Event Producer’s goals and objectives will assist you in crafting the vision.
Think of a goal as the “desired outcome; what you hope to achieve”. Think of an objective as
the “measurable” action you will take to complete the goal.
It is recommended that students work in the real world, meaning if you are currently
producing an event then base your homework assignment on your current work. I am from the nonprofit world. Since you have a non-profit background, approach goals and objectives this way. You have a fundraising goal of $500,000 for a black-tie event. So, what ‘steps’ will you and your team take to raise the funds? Think of the goal as what you want to achieve/accomplish and the ‘objective’ is the steps, and actions you take to help you achieve that goal.
Please select from one of the following. Your event may be an association, corporation or nonprofit meeting or a sports event. Weddings and holiday parties are excluded.
A) ‘ONE-DAY’ meeting or conference. Design elements include:
• Number of attendees: 250
• 1-General Session Room – A space large enough for everyone to meet at the same
time. (Any set-up style that meets your objectives.)
• 4-Breakout Rooms (Hollow Square Style)
• 1-Room for Lunch with a Guest Speaker
B) “Half-Day” Breakfast or Lunch meeting – with 500 attendees and two-breakout rooms.
In designing, select either 7:00am-1:30pm or 12:00pm-5:00pm.
C) Sports Facility – stadium, ballpark or arena (i.e., Madison Square Garden, Yankee
Stadium, etc.). State the event type – corporate meeting, corporate outing, non-profit
fundraising event, etc.). The event is for 300 guests.
Each student will write a minimum of 3 goals and objectives based on event type and develop a
narrative (overview) describing the event.
Homework: Tips for Success
1. Remember to use proper MLA formats.
Homework Assignment #2: “Creating the Request for Proposal (RFP)”
Background: The Request for Proposal (RFP) is a written document that serves as a
communications tool. The purpose of the RFP is to communicate the preliminary needs of your
meeting or event; providing enough information for the hotel or venue to determine if it has
adequate space to accommodate your event. You must create the Request for Proposal. Please
do not enter information on a hotel website or other resource
Again, it is recommended that students work in the real world, meaning, if you are currently
producing an event then base your homework assignment on your current work. Please share
the background with the instructor and receive permission before proceeding.
Please select from one of the following and create the Request for Proposal. Your event may
be an association, corporation, or non-profit meeting or a sports event. Weddings and holiday
parties are excluded.
A) ‘ONE-DAY’ meeting. Design elements include:
• Number of attendees: 250
• 1-General Session Room – A space large enough for everyone to meet at the same
time. (Any set-up style that meets your objectives.)
• 4-Breakout Rooms (Hollow Square Style)
• 1-Room for Lunch with a Guest Speaker
B) “Half-Day” Breakfast or Lunch meeting – with 500 attendees and two-breakout rooms.
In designing, select either 7:00am-1:30pm or 12:00pm-5:00pm.
C) Sports Facility – stadium, ballpark or arena (i.e., Madison Square Garden, Yankee
Stadium, etc.). State the event type – corporate meeting, corporate outing, holiday
party, non-profit fundraising event, etc.). The event is for 300 guests.
Understanding:
The RFP should be drafted in such a way that you can send it to a National Sales Manager
(NSM)/Account Executive at a hotel chain; directly to a hotel or venue; or submit it to the CVB at
the destination where you will host the meeting/event, so they may share the information with their members
Minimum Requirements:
Provide enough information for the “hotel or venue” to be able to submit an “offer” to host your
meeting or event. You do not have to have all of your requirements, but the more you know the
better.
Minimum requirements of the RFP include:
• Meeting/Event Date(s)
• Type of Meeting/Event
• Length of Meeting/Event
• Guestroom Requirements (if applicable)
• Audio-Visual Requirements (if applicable)
• Food & Beverage (Catering) Requirements (if applicable)
• Set-up Requirements
• Special Requirements
Remember, “You have not yet chosen the hotel or venue”, so I should not receive RFPs that say,
“My meeting or event is at the XYZ Hotel or XYZ Venue”. The purpose of the RFP is to find the
event site. Once you complete the process you should be able to answer the question: does the
reader have enough information to be able to respond to the RFP with an “offer” to host my
meeting or event?
Homework: Tips for Success
1. Remember to use proper MLA formats.
2. Remember: you may not visit a hotel, venue or caterer’s website, “fill in the blanks of
their RFP, do a screen print and turn it in as the assignment.” You must create your own
RFP.
3. Additional samples can be found at:
www.eventscouncil.org; click on the “APEX” tab. Whatever you decide to include in your
RFP needs to make sense to you and the recipient.
4. An RFP is a communications tool used to source space at hotels, venues, select third party
vendors (caterers, florists, printers, etc.), so it is important to learn this proces
Homework Assignment #3: “The 21st Century Events Planner”
Background: The role of the “meeting planner” has changed considerably over the years. It is
important to understand how this position, this role is viewed in today’s marketplace. Are
meeting and event planners responsible for ‘logistics’ only or more? Do you require a
professional designation or certification in order to be taken seriously or to advance your
career? These are questions for today’s event producers to explore.
Students will review several websites of meeting and event professionals (member)
organizations; the purpose of reviewing these websites is to see what each professional
organization has to offer in terms of membership benefits, education, etc. and to assist you in
deciding whether you need to join an association.
Students also will review current job descriptions on online job boards (i.e., Indeed.com);
students should search under “Meeting Coordinator”, “Event Coordinator”, “Meeting
Manager”, “Event Producer”, etc. Students also will look at job descriptions from an
“experiential agency” to see how this same job (responsibilities) is defined by company or
industry segment. Below are some resources; you are welcome to use these resources or
select your own.
Professional Membership Websites:
• Meeting Professionals International, www.mpiweb.org
• Professional Convention Management Association, www.pcma.org
• International Live Events Association, www.ileahub.com
• Society of Government Meeting Professionals, www.sgmp.org
Online Job Boards:
• Indeed.com
• Monster.com
• Eventcareers.com
• Momentumww.com (Experiential Marketing Agency)
• Octagon.com (Experiential Marketing Agency)
• Factory360.com (Experiential Marketing Agency)
Each student will then write a two-page report on where you are now in your career
development and how you plan to approach your career based on the following conditions.
If you already produce meetings and events: please state what your career plans are for the
next 2-3 years; understanding the industry changes, that could occur during this timeframe.
If you are planning to transition to meetings and events, please describe your plan for how
you will enter the industry, obtain your first job. What skills do you think you already possess
that an employer could use as you start this new career? What will you need to do to convince
them to hire you?
Homework: Tips for Success
1. Remember to use proper MLA formats
Homework Assignment #4-Event Design
Background: It is important to write the story or narrative of your event. This exercise will assist you in “story-telling”. Each event is unique; different. Based on the event type you selected, each student will create the design elements: is it a dinner, product launch, meeting/conference, association convention, sports event, etc. Remember, you are welcome to work in the real-world; creating an event design for an event you are producing. The samples overviews provided (One-Day Meeting, Half-Day Meeting, etc.) are given to you in case you are new to the meetings industry (or are currently not producing events). A fellow professor calls it “Suzy-Q”. What will Suzy-Q experience when she walks into your event? Have you thought about registration, décor, design, food and beverage, security and more?
This is the story-telling phase – putting your thoughts on paper. As you create the event you may discover that certain elements that work on paper don’t necessarily work in reality. Sometimes this is due to budget; sometimes due to space limitations; or simply the event design ‘changed’. Be creative and also be prepared to be flexible.
Your event design should be comprehensive; when complete, the reader should be able to see themselves in the event and that the event clearly has a “beginning, a middle, an end”.
Homework: Tips for Success
Remember to use proper MLA formats.
Please take your time and do not fret over the assignment. Homework is practice for the real-world. Try to enjoy the experience.
Homework Assignment #5-Selecting Registration and Event Management Software
Background: Selecting the right software for your event – registration or event management – can be a seemingly daunting task. The important thing to remember is that it is quite challenging to find one tool to perform all tasks. Thus, start with the tools that are most important to you. Do you need a registration tool, project management tool, badge printing tool, etc.?
Each student will select registration or event management software for their event. At minimum, the software chosen must accomplish at least 3-requirements of your event – i.e., registration, speaker management, surveys. It is up to each student to define the 3-requirements for their event.
Capterra.com is a website offering many software options, but please don’t get lost here. Search for the type of software you need. Then peruse a few and narrow down those you think you might use for your event. Again, if you are already using a software tool then describe how it is being used to produce your event. If you need samples, start with: www.aventri.com and click on “Platform” for the overview. Also,www.swoogo.com or other event software that you review and research on www.capterra.com.
Provide a background to the event and how the software is being used, stating your 3-requirements.
Homework: Tips for Success
Remember to use proper MLA formats.
Please take your time and do not fret over the assignment. Homework is practice for the real-world. Try to enjoy the experience
Homework Assignment #6: “Meeting and Event Specifications”
Background: Now that you know how to create the Request for Proposal, learning how to
write meeting and event specifications is one of the most important tasks you will learn as an
event producer. Everyone has their style and format. Allow the following example to
guide you in using the Convention Services Manager at a hotel as your reference point.
The Convention Services Manager (CSM) is the hotel’s version of you the “event planner, event
producer”. This person has the responsibility of sharing the details and set-up instructions for
your event with the hotel’s staff – Chef, Housekeeping, Bell Staff, etc.
This information needs to be detailed enough for the hotel or venue to prepare for your event.
For the hotel, the Convention Services Manager/CSM will receive this information from you
and use it to create the Banquet Event Order or BEO (sample on Brightspace). This is the time
and place for your catering and food and beverage requirements; linen selections, audio-visual
requirements, etc. Once you sign the contract with the hotel or caterer, the menu selection will
begin, as well as the process to determine your audio-visual needs for you to begin negotiations
with the AV provider.
As you are drafting this document it is reasonable to think you might not think of every detail.
Focus on the important information that the hotel/venue needs to prepare the Banquet Event
Order or catering information.
The final step is deciding which format you will use – will you work in Word, Excel or
PowerPoint? Whatever tool you choose, please make sure it is a tool you are comfortable
updating. Once complete, I recommend sending the information as a PDF.
Key to Success:
• Remember, the CSM may be working on your event along with two or more events
before or after your event. She/he could have a ‘group in house’ when they receive
your ‘specs’. So, it is important to be as detailed as possible and to be organized with
the type of information you send them. This is your work product and reflects on you as
a professional event planner, event producer.
• What Not to Put in the Specs – Speaker information and clothing type. For example,
“my boss will have a dark blue suit and will be wearing a green tie”. This is not set-up
instruction for the hotel/venue.
Homework: Tips for Success
1. Remember to use proper MLA formats.
2. Please take your time and do not fret over the assignment. Homework is practice for the
real-world. Try to enjoy the experience.
Homework Assignment #7: “Catering and Food & Beverage”
Background: Before you can complete your meeting or event specifications you need to
determine your audio-visual and catering and food and beverage requirements. This way, the
information you provide to the hotel or venue will be more complete. Again, everyone has
their own style and format. The samples of meeting and event “specs” provided on Brightspace
is how I do it. Please note there are two versions. I generally use the portrait version for
“shorter meetings and events”. The landscape version is used for programs of multiple days.
Again, the format is entirely up to you if the recipient of the information understands your
needs.
The audience and type of event determines your catering and food and beverage requirements.
Your personal taste should not determine the menu. Allergies to certain foods should always
be a consideration. And, in planning, as the Event Producer you need to ask during the
registration phase if anyone has “any special needs” – this question is intended to cover food,
accessibility – everything.
Whether you ask the question or not, your desire is to work with the Chef/Caterer to develop a
menu that provides options for everyone. If there are children in attendance, special attention
needs to be paid to nut allergies and avoiding spicy ingredients.
Based on the event type, each student will work with the Chef/Caterer to determine catering
and food and beverage requirements for their event. The menus selected should cater to the
needs of the audience. There are sample hotel catering menus on Brightspace. You are
welcome to source other menus.
If you are creating an event for an “off-site venue” (other than a hotel, i.e. sports arena,
museum, etc.), please provide the menu you selected with the caterer or catering company
associated with the facility. If you select a menu that will be served as a ‘buffet’, remember,
you need to label each dish, so attendees know what they are being served. You also need to
be prepared to list the ingredients in ‘each dish’. If your event is a “black-tie or gala” event, the
menu should be included in the ‘program’ even if it appears as a ‘menu-card’ at each placesetting.
Homework: Tips for Success
1. Remember to use proper MLA formats.
2. Please take your time and do not fret over the assignment. Homework is practice for the real-world. Try to enjoy the experience
Homework Assignment #8 – Budgeting for the Event
Background: Budgeting is an important tool for the Event Producer. The budget serves as a road-map for all expenditures, both fixed and variable, associated with producing the event. There are many budgeting tools – from spreadsheets to accounting software. Again, select the tool that works best for you. It is important to track all costs associated with the event.
If event budgeting is new to you, begin by selecting a spreadsheet tool (your choice) and add each element, line-item, to the spreadsheet: audio-visual charges, catering and food and beverage charges, staffing, printing, graphic designer and more. Hotels and venues charge taxes, fees and service charges. One way to manage this: create one budget; save it; update accordingly based on service charges and taxes where the event is being produced for these fees change from hotel to hotel, city and state. Be mindful of the “fine print” – urban fees, resort fees, etc. In the end, these add up.
Be sure to include a “miscellaneous” line-item for the “what if” of the event. The miscellaneous item could be budgeted at 10-15% of your total budget.
Tracking all event expenditures provides you with historical data. You will know how much you spent (and saved) from event to event, year to year. This information will allow you to negotiate better contracts.
Homework: Tips for Success
Remember to use proper MLA formats.
Please take your time and do not fret over the assignment. Homework is practice for the real-world. Try to enjoy the experience.
