Kwik Kopy franchise conference opportunity to network

Wayne O’Neill, who owns a Kwik Kopy franchise at Knoxfield in Melbourne, says that the main reason he leaves his centre to attend Kwik Kopy conferences is to network with other owners.

“The stand out session for me is the owner’s panel. It is made up of the top performing centres and they discuss anything new they have tried that has worked well for them.

“The conference also gives me the opportunity to talk to suppliers and benefit from their expert knowledge.”

Organising a conference sounds so simple. Find a venue, plan a program, invite the speakers, tell your franchisees and everything will run smoothly.

Well, that depends.

The success of a conference is often measured by what goes wrong, rather than what goes right. It’s a proven fact that people tend to remember a disaster more so than a success.

So if you are planning a conference it makes sense to get some professional advice. There are a number of resources available to franchisors: convention and visitors bureaus, professional conference organizers and events showcasing convention venues.

Convention Bureaux

Convention Bureaux in major cities throughout Australia and overseas are a great source of free information. Financed by their membership base – usually a mixture of that city’s hotels, venues, resorts and suppliers – and by state governments, they offer a wide range of services.

Contacting the Convention Bureau in the State you wish to hold an event will save you time and money. They will advise on correct pricing and the appropriate venues and services you will need. At the end of the exercise you will have a substantial file on venues and suppliers for future reference and a much greater knowledge of some of the unique features of that State.

Professional Conference Organisers

A Professional Conference Organiser is a professional who supports the conference committee in planning, managing and organising a convention. They have highly specialised knowledge in every aspect of conference management.

Often known by the acronym PCO, Professional Conference Organisers are also known as Meetings Managers, Conference Managers, Meeting Planners and Event Managers.

You can ask a PCO to provide full conference management or select their services, depending on the size and complexity of your meeting or conference. They can help you with the venue selection, business and social programs, speakers, travel arrangements, event suppliers, exhibition and sponsorship, administration and production.

Hiring a professional, even for small events, may mean your event is organised faster and better that you could do it yourself.

Robyn Buccheri, director of the Melbourne-based firm Professional Conference Services, advises clients to let their staff do what they do best and to let an accredited meetings manager do what they do best.

“We have the experience. A personal assistant or secretary could spend days and days just trying to find the right venue. And even if they find the right venue, they may not understand the contract they sign with the hotel or property of their choice. A professional meeting manager will be able to help you develop the right strategy for your conference,” Ms Buccheri said.

But isn’t it expensive?

If you’re concerned about the cost of hiring a professional, you may be pleasantly surprised. PCOs often also assist with raising sponsorship funds, which offsets the cost of the event.

The question of affordability can really only be measured by the time that the employees of a company spend on organising an event, when that is not their core position.

If you do decide to hire a professional, be sure to brief them well, and in plenty of time. Most conference organisers will require nine to twelve months lead time to run an annual convention. If it is a large, technical event, then allow between 18 months and 2 years.

What franchisees want

Convincing a franchisee to leave their business and attend a conference means the franchisor must present a program that is not only appealing but also critical to the franchisee’s ongoing business success.

Suppliers often run interactive workshops which are great because you can try new technologies. These sessions really equip you with more product knowledge whilst at the same time allow you to speak to other franchisees and benefit from their thoughts on investing in new technology,” O’Neill said.

Sandy Kochelak from Kwik Kopy Eagle Farm says the networking opportunity the Kwik Kopy conference presents is priceless.

“It is absolutely beneficial to attend these conferences. Of course it is up to the individual to get the most out of it. You need to work out what you want to take out of the conference before you go and then ask the questions to gain that knowledge.

“I prefer to hear from industry experts at conferences. I want to know about where the industry is heading in the future, where the technology is going and what new products are on the market.”

The owner of Kwik Kopy at Castle Hill, Brian Heydon, says he likes to hear from a variety of speakers at conferences.

“I find business and industry experts the most beneficial to hear from but motivational speakers are also important to give you that kick and allow you to refresh your mind and reassess your business and how you operate.

“The Kwik Kopy conferences are very beneficial to attend as they are tailored to our needs and I find them very valuable.

“I think every owner should attend these conferences. Not only do you take away valuable knowledge from these conferences but also a sense of belonging and being in a group that face the same or similar challenges to you.”

AIME for great conference ideas

The largest exhibition of suppliers to the meeting industry is AIME, AsiaPacific Incentives and Meeting Expo, which is held annually in Melbourne.

AIME 2006 will be at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on 6 & 7 June and is a must for anyone organizing a meeting, conference or special event.

AIME includes more than 850 exhibitors, predominantly from the Asia Pacific region, but also from other parts of the world.

Exhibitors include destinations, venues, exhibition centres, hotels, conference centres, audio visual suppliers, staging companies, conference organizers, industry associations and speakers bureaux.

If you are searching for a new venue or location for your next conference, want to make contact with convention bureaux in Australia and other countries, or you need to source satchels or other items, this is the event for you. AIME brings together everything for conferences, meetings and exhibitions, all under one roof.

At AIME 2006 Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau (MCVB) will be joined by venues, hotels and service providers to demonstrate why Melbourne was ranked first in Australia for the most international association meetings in 2004 and voted Australia’s most liveable city and the second most liveable city in the world next to Vancouver. Melbourne will also be updating visitors on the new Melbourne Convention Centre development due for completion in 2009.

The new centre will be a world class facility unmatched anywhere in Australia, with a 5,000-seat flexible plenary hall supporting meeting and banquet facilities. The new centre will be fully integrated with the existing Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

Recent recipient of the Economist’s coveted title 1st best city in Australia and 4th best city in the world for business travel, Adelaide Convention & Tourism Authority will promote Adelaide’s world-class convention facilities and hotels, great affordability and accessibility.

Adelaide recorded over one million business visits in 2004, generating over 5.5 million nights for the city’s meetings industry. Business travellers account for 38 percent of all visitors to Adelaide.

The Perth Convention Exhibition Centre (Perth Centre) has attracted a flood of praise since its opening in August 2004.

The centre has been acclaimed the top business tourism venue in Western Australia, taking out the coveted Meetings & Business Tourism title at the Western Australian Tourism Awards.

The Perth Centre also won the Venue Caterers’ title at the 2005 Gold Plate Awards and the building services industry’s Golden Service Award (‘Venues’ category) in September 2005. Cairns & Region Convention Bureau (CRCB), winner of AIME’s Best Multi-Stand Award in 2005, will return to AIME in 2006. CRCB will be joined by hotels, restaurants and exhibition venues from Tropical North Queensland (TNQ), many first time exhibitors spurred on by the good reports that came back to TNQ from last year’s event.

AIME Seminars

This year AIME has launched a new seminar program for anyone interested in learning more about special events, conference programs, finding speakers and other matters related to staging excellent events.

There will be six seminars held over the two days of AIME 2006.

The S Factor covers everything you need to know about making your event special. Whether it’s fireworks, lighting, entertainment or even what to eat, you only have one chance to get it right. Members of the International Special Events Society (ISES) will guide you through what works and what doesn't in an entertaining session, full of new ideas.

The popular ICMI speakers showcase returns to AIME 2006, following rave reviews from attendees at AIME 2005. The Showcase is your chance to hear some of the world’s most interesting and inspirational speakers.

Hot Tips for Great Event Programmes is where you can pick up some of the best tips for designing and planning your next event from the experts in the industry. How do you develop a memorable theme? Is your speaker only as good as the speaker’s brief? Amanda Trottman, managing director, The Forum Group, will ensure you leave this session with inside knowledge and great tips on getting your next program right.

Getting More Done In Less Time: Magic at Your Fingertips is for people who do not have enough hours in the day. Top ranking international business guru Debbie Mayo-Smith will show you how to save time with “automation”. “Automation” should be your productivity goal for 2006 and Debbie will show you the treasure trove of tools you already have that will help you accomplish this.

Franchisors wishing to visit AIME may also qualify for the special Hosted Buyer Program. This program allows companies with a serious interest in booking future conferences with exhibitors at AIME, to receive complimentary flights and accommodation for AIME 2006.

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