| the course programme |
| Defining the function and role of a chair person |
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Understanding how vital the contribution of the chair is to the success of the conference on the day |
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Making sure the event works on the day and meets the conference title objectives |
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Ensuring clarity and continuity |
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Introducing and working with the speakers |
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Time keeping |
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Focusing the speakers, delegates and sponsors |
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key skills and attributes of a great chair |
| Pre-conference planning — establishing relationships and working with speakers |
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Establishing contact with speakers |
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Planning speaker meetings — when to hold them, what to expect from them |
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Briefing speakers and promoting linkages between sessions |
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Understanding sponsor objectives and constraints |
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Ensuring a cohesive framework for the event |
| Drafting and delivering opening remarks |
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Introducing and setting the tone for the event |
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Clarifying the role and objective of opening remarks |
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Dos and don’ts |
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Administration details — liasing with the conference organiser |
| Ensuring individual talks link together — creating a flow and consistency throughout the event |
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Introductions and thank-yous — an opportunity to pull talks together |
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Working with speakers to ensure they focus on their talk and the overall conference objective |
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Managing speakers who over run on time |
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Prompting speakers when subject goes off brief |
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Dealing with difficult speakers |
| Working with keynote speakers |
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Special considerations of keynote speakers |
| Facilitating debate and questions |
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Classic techniques for promoting questions |
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Preparing questions before each talk |
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Using particular members of the audience to facilitate debate |
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Questions as a means of focusing the event |
| Managing panel sessions and round tables |
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Briefing all panel members before the session |
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Identifying key panel members |
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Preparing questions and answers |
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Common problems of dealing with a panel and how to overcome them |
| Closing the conference |
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An opportunity to summarise the whole event |
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Pulling out the key themes and developments in the conference |
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Future opportunities |
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Who to thank and closure |
| the course format |
| Course numbers will be limited to ensure the day can be very practical and business focused. |
| booking information |
The competition were moving in on our market and I needed to get my team coming up with more new ideas. This course really focused all of our minds and we are now producing more new events then ever. It has helped us have our best financial year. 
