PLANNING YOUR EVENT

Whether it’s your first event or your hundredth, planning a successful event is an art. Luckily, our experienced Event Services Team will be with you every step of the way to help make the process easier. (See what our clients are saying about us!)

In addition to make sure nothing slips through the cracks, here's a foolproof event checklist to use at any point of the event planning process to reduce stress and make sure no detail is forgotten.

Getting started as early as possible

As soon as you’ve booked your event, you need to start planning. At the very minimum, we recommend starting the tasks listed below at least four to six months before your event is supposed to take place. The sooner you set a date, the better!

Event Planner's Checklist 

 

10-12 Months Out

  • Set objectives, meeting/exhibit dates, budget, theme and format
  • Determine who is to attend, including local guests and other VIPs
  • Create checklists for all meeting segments and assign responsibility and completion dates
  • Select several meeting dates and sites
  • Contact Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce, hotels, Ruidoso Convention Center
  • Conduct meeting and lodging site visits
  • Negotiate hotel rates and blocks, sign hotel contract
  • Negotiate transportation costs and availability
  • Assemble exhibitor listing
  • Define promotional strategy

 

9 Months Out

  • Develop logo and graphics theme
  • Produce exhibit floorplan

 

7-8 Months Out

  • Inform potential attendees of date and place of meeting
  • Refine program and agenda, select topics and invite speakers
  • Determine preliminary food and beverage requirements
  • Negotiate menus and prices
  • Arrange for on-site office and communications
  • Determine materials shipping

 

6 Months Out

  • Confirm speakers and audio-visual needs
  • Collect speakers’ audio-visual needs
  • Begin processing registration forms

 

4-5 Months Out

  • Confirm audio-visual requirements
  • Assign speaker locations and times
  • Determine meeting room set-ups
  • Finalize session schedule and room assignments

 

2-3 Months Out

  • Adjust budget
  • Finalize food and beverage schedule
  • Determine on-site staff and security plans
  • Order office and communications equipment needed on site
  • Copy materials for distribution and order or make signage
  • Finalize on-site computer requirements for registration
  • Review processing and billing activity with hotel

 

1 Month - 6 Weeks Out

  • Print conference guide
  • Print workbooks
  • Submit daily schedule to hotel

 

3 Weeks Out - Day of Meeting

  • Pack and ship materials to meeting site
  • Set up on-site office, unpack and inventory materials
  • Assemble or confirm count with Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce for welcome packets
  • Finalize food and beverage guarantees
  • Make pre-event preparations on site
  • Brief staff on responsibilities
  • Supervise meeting on-site