Frequently Asked Questions in Events

Next up in our frequently asked question blog series is the Events Team! Made up of event experts with years of combined experience within the sector, they really are the best placed to help answer any of your questions about association events and much more.

The world of events is always changing and adapting, so it’s no surprise that with this often comes a lot of questions from Clients, Speakers, and Delegates. With that, we decided to rally the team to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about events right here on our blog.

Clients

As an event organiser, how should I structure my conference programme?

Firstly, you should decide on a start time for the event. Think about the location of the conference, for example, if it’s in a city centre or not easy to access, take morning rush hour into account.

If there is an exhibition, consider a welcome coffee during registration. This is valuable for exhibition viewing time and it also allows people to arrive gradually. Perhaps open registration/exhibition an hour before your start time.

If you have an exhibition, you must allow for a good amount of exhibition viewing time, as they have probably helped to fund the event. Ideally, 45-minute mid-morning break, 60 minutes at lunch.

If sponsorship revenue is essential for the event, build in at least one 30-minute company symposium into the programme.  This is a prime sponsorship opportunity. Ideally schedule this before a break as delegates will already be in the room.

When it comes to organising your sessions. These times may be dependent on the conference topic. However, as a general rule, no more than 20 – 30 mins is sufficient.

You should decide if speakers should build in time in their allocated slot for 5mins of questions, or if you will have a 15min Q&A session at allocated times in the programme – like a speaker panel.

A key tip – Consider not including an afternoon break. You will lose delegates, so instead plan to finish the programme a little earlier.

Delegates

Do I have to be a member to attend an association event?

This ultimately depends on the event. Most of the events that Fitwise run invite both members and non-members. Other events don’t necessarily even operate with a member scheme. The event website should state any requirements and who they will welcome at the event. If in any doubt, just get in touch and the Fitwise Team will be happy to help.

What options do I have as a delegate, if I can no longer attend the Event?

If you are unable to attend an event and wish to cancel your place, we ask that you get in touch with our events team to inform us of this. By referring to each relevant event website you will be able to see their cancellation policies and terms and conditions.

Alternatively, instead of cancelling your place at an event, you can ask a colleague or friend to take your place at the event. If you wish to do this, our events team can help in order to avoid any confusion on the day or unnecessary fees.

Speakers

What format should my speaker presentation be for a conference?

Fitwise are set up to play PowerPoint, Keynote or Prezzi presentations.  If you have a video embedded into your presentation, it is a good idea to have the original video file somewhere accessible as a back-up. We ask you to provide your presentation to us in advance of the event or conference so that we have this in place ready for your session.

Can I claim speaker travel expenses?

Yes, you can often claim expenses for travelling to speak at an event. The event manager will email any speakers with an expenses form and any other relevant forms prior to the event. These should be completed and returned to claim your expenses.

Speak to the events team today if you would like to know more about Fitwise events.

Fitwise Events Team

Enjoyed reading this blog? Check out the other Frequently Asked Questions in the series.

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