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Communicating for Success through High-level Events (G039)

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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 - 10:00 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.) Developing a sound communications strategy for the event
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: Do's and Dont's 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	Workshop Evaluation

Instructor

Josef Jurkovic

Josef Jurkovic is a CEC director and President of Paradigm Communications with extensive experience as a strategic communications, marketing and international public affairs specialist.

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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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