Event Management: Planning and Delivering Conferences and Exhibitions – London, 31 May – 4 Jun 2027

Programme overview

Introduction:

Event management planning in many organisations still starts with a date and a venue rather than a purpose, so conferences and exhibitions overrun budgets, speakers confirm late, registration queues form and nobody can show what the event achieved. This Core Concept course gives the people who own events a structured method covering the full event lifecycle: objectives and concept, venue and supplier contracting, budget and revenue, programme and attendee journey, on-site operations, crowd safety and evaluation. Working through simulated event days, participants build an Event Management Plan for a real conference or exhibition.

Course Objectives:

• Define event objectives, target audiences and success measures in an event brief and business case that stakeholders approve
• Plan the event as a project with a work breakdown structure, critical-path timeline and responsibility matrix
• Select and contract venues and suppliers using weighted criteria, capacity checks and negotiated contract terms
• Build and control an event budget with cost, sponsorship and registration revenue lines and break-even analysis
• Run programme, speaker, registration and on-site operations with run-of-show, crowd flow and incident procedures
• Evaluate event outcomes and return on investment and turn findings into an Event Management Plan for the next edition

Target Audience:

• Managers who own the planning and delivery of corporate conferences and professional events
• Organisers responsible for trade exhibitions, forums and industry shows
• Leaders of event project teams coordinating venues, suppliers and contractors
• Managers of association meetings, government forums and academic congresses
• Budget holders who approve, sponsor and evaluate organisational events

Course Outline:

Day 1: Event Management Foundations and the Event Brief

• Event Types and Formats: Conferences, Exhibitions, Forums and Hybrid Events
• Event Lifecycle Stages from Concept to Closure
• SMART Event Objectives and Success Measures Worksheet
• Stakeholder Map and Event Business Case Template
• Current Event Practice Maturity Self-Assessment

Day 2: Event Planning Frameworks and Standards

• CMP International Standards (CMP-IS) Domains Applied to Event Planning
• Event Work Breakdown Structure and Critical Path Timeline
• RACI Matrix for Event Teams, Volunteers and Contractors
• Venue Selection Scorecard: Capacity, Access, Services and Cost
• Event Budget Structure: Fixed, Variable and Contingency Lines

Day 3: Programme, Suppliers and the Attendee Journey

• Programme Architecture and Session Formats Grid
• Speaker Management Workflow: Call for Papers, Briefing and Content Deadlines
• Supplier Request for Proposal and Contract Terms Checklist
• Registration Platform Setup, Badging and Check-In Flow
• Exhibitor Manual, Floor Plan and Stand Allocation Procedure

Day 4: On-Site Operations, Crowd Safety and Evaluation

• Run-of-Show and Production Schedule Build
• Event Risk Assessment Matrix and Emergency Response Plan
• Crowd Flow, Occupancy Capacity and Queue Management Planning
• Sponsorship Revenue Packages and Break-Even Analysis
• Post-Event Evaluation Logic Model and Event ROI Calculation

Day 5: Event Day Simulation and the Event Management Plan

• Conference Build-Up Simulation: Supplier Delays and Speaker Cancellations
• Exhibition Opening Simulation: Registration Surge and Crowd Incident
• Event Control Room Decision Log and Escalation Exercise
• Event Management Plan Drafting
• Peer Review Panel and Plan Defence

Skills You Will Gain:

• Event Brief Development
• Event Project Scheduling
• Venue and Supplier Contracting
• Event Budget Control
• Speaker and Programme Coordination
• Registration Operations
• Crowd and Event Risk Planning
• Event ROI Evaluation

Why Attend This Course:

• Return with an Event Management Plan for a real conference or exhibition, tested in simulated event days and reviewed by peers
• Take decisions under pressure in a rehearsed event control room before facing them on the day
• Show sponsors and senior management evidence of what an event delivered against its objectives
• Compare event practice with organisers from associations, companies and public bodies in other sectors and countries

Conclusion:

Successful conferences and exhibitions are decided long before the doors open: in the brief, the plan, the contracts, the budget and the safety arrangements. This course moves from event types, objectives and the business case, through planning frameworks, venue selection and budgeting, to programme, speaker, supplier and registration work, and then to run of show, crowd safety, sponsorship revenue and evaluation. The final day rehearses build-up and opening problems under time pressure and produces an Event Management Plan ready for use on the participant's next event.