Selecting the appropriate topic can be as crucial as selecting the right presenter. No matter how much time, energy, money, and thought you invest in planning your meeting site or your banquet meal, in the end it’s the choice of your topics and the quality of your program that will determine the success or failure of your event.

To best determine your agenda and the topics you will select for your event, you’ll need to answer these questions.

• What is the purpose of the meeting?

• Who will be in attendance?

• What do we want to accomplish? What is the end result we’re after?

• What are the challenges facing the organization, and in particular, the challenges facing this audience?

• What does this audience need?

• Who are the internal (from the organization) speakers at this meeting?

• What are the internal speakers going to speak about?

• What additional topics need to be addressed
(a) to compliment the internal speakers, and
(b) to accomplish our objective for this meeting?

• How long is the meeting?

• How many hours of programming do I need to fill?

• How many sessions and topics do I need to arrange for?

People who are investing their time to attend a meeting want take-home value. They’ll appreciate the nut-n-bolts, high-content sessions. However, people retain less information when they’re overloaded. Attendees need time to absorb, process, and recharge. This is best done with laughter. Be sure to schedule some lighter programs along with the more serious informational ones.

2. Topic Placement:

A crucial element to the success of your meeting, besides selecting the appropriate topics, is the positioning of your programs. Balance is what creates the best meetings and conventions.

You’ll want to open your meeting or convention on a high-energy, upbeat note. This spot, after the welcoming remarks, is best suited for a motivational message.

Generally, your audience will be most alert at the start of the day. Attention then dwindles somewhat until the mid-morning coffee break after that it perks it up a bit. Therefore, you’ll want to position your, educational and more technical topics early in the day or right after the mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks.

The luncheon meal can often dull one’s physical and mental alertness. So plan an audience involving, upbeat, light topic for the first session after lunch.

The luncheon speaker and subject matter also needs to be non-technical. The dinner speaker and topic definitely needs to be light and humorous. People want to be entertained, not lectured to, when they have just eaten. These are good spots for a celebrity or high profile guest speaker. We highly recommend using an entertainer for the after-dinner program. Never schedule a presenter while people are still eating.

Finally, your meeting needs to end on a high note, sending your attendees off with purpose and hope. The final topic and speaker needs to leave your group focused, fired up, and determined.

3. Selecting the right messenger:

There are many presenters who speak on a variety of topics. Make sure the presenters you hire are experts on the topics you have hired them to speak on. If a presenter is not an authority on his or her subject, then they are not likely to adequately inform, motivate, inspire or impact your audience. Your audience will turn off if the speaker is poorly informed.

Knowledge and careful planning is what makes for a successful meeting. If you need help or suggestions in planning your agenda, the programming experts at Power Performers are more than eager to assist you. There is never a charge for consulting with us. For help, please call us at 1-800-320-9650.