| Introduction |
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how the role of Conference Management has changed and continues to change |
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where the challenges currently lie |
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typical problems facing senior management in choosing and developing conference managers: the ‘harridan’, the product-not-people person, the egoist |
| Product |
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knowing your product strategy, your scope to change this, and when to modify it |
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changing revenue models and product mixes – knowing where you fit and how much latitude you have |
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are you a B2B information provider or an events company? – adapting your strategy to suit |
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are you a market leader or follower? – and how the answer should shape your competitive strategy |
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competitive vs. competitor analysis: looking at the wider information marketplace, determining where future threats could come from, identifying companies to benchmark against, developing a systematic approach to competitor analysis |
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Case study: how do you test the market for Distance Learning product within a Stage 1 environment? |
| Process |
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budget setting: what to consider before you enter the numbers, how to negotiate the difference between your forecast and the company’s expectations |
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monitoring productivity: how to identify problems early on, how to ensure targets are met |
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other KPIs: which ones matter most, keeping your system simple |
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topic generation and validation: determining who is ultimately responsible, how you validate topics, balancing risk minimisation and productivity imperatives |
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managing marketing: who needs to know what, how do you keep on top of the detail |
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working with/managing spex: achieving a productive balance of power |
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Case study: what do you do if it’s taking 2 weeks to get a brochure through artwork? |
| People |
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hiring/recruitment: what’s your ideal profile, how do you source new staff, external recruiters vs. internal hires, promoting from within vs. hiring in fresh blood |
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training: using TNAs to identify gaps, identifying sources (internal and external), coping with the ‘I haven’t been trained’ excuse |
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appraisals: what to measure and how, how to structure the process, integrating with your training needs assessment, what to do if HR/externals get involved |
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using the principles of Situational Leadership to understand your own management style and the development levels of your team |
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common problems: the 9-month-itch, the ‘dilemmas’, the bored ‘star’ |
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career advancement/planning for producers: determining what you can offer your best producers, keeping them in the team in an increasingly competitive marketplace |
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Case study: restructuring when recession strikes: who to keep and who to let go? |
Useful opportunity to have time to consider things “outside the box”. 
