The document discusses event programming and protocols. It provides guidance on structuring event programs based on goals, budgets and attendees. It outlines categories of event activities and considerations for program flow, timing, speakers and formats. It also discusses protocols for VIP events, including seating arrangements, introductions and catering to cultural customs. Managing protocols is essential for events with officials to ensure all rules are followed.

1. THE EVENT
PROGRAM
HEVENTSCON
From Events Management 2nd Ed. (Altez-Romero, 2016) & Event
Management forTourism, Sports, Business and MICE (Tuazon-
Disimulacion, 2016)
Presented by: Mervyn Maico D. Aldana, Faculty,SHTM

2. The Event
Program
• The event program will depend on the type of event
the host/organizer decides to do. It can be a
combination of different activities happening
simultaneously or sequentially such as: educational
sessions, entertainment, food and beverage,
exhibitions, sponsor programs, and games.

3. Event
Program
• In structuring the program, consider the goals and
objectives of the event, the budget, available
technology, and the profile of the attendees.
• It will be wise to review evaluations of previous events
to gain information on how to structure and improve
your program to determine the best program
components.

4. 4 Major
Categories
of Activities
• Main Event Focus
– in line with the theme of the event; the main
entertainment or event focus is what attracts the
audience.
– It is agenda in a meeting, the games in a sporting event,
the winners in an awards night, the arts in an arts exhibit,
the product in a product launch, and so on.

5. 4 Major
Categories
of Activities
• Secondary Focus
– Often a similar type of entertainment or activity to the
main attraction or a different type that appeals to the
core audience, such as a celebrity appearance in a dance
contest, or an exhibition match in a sporting event.

6. 4 Major
Categories
of Activities
• SupportActivities
– Usually a different type of entertainment or activity to
the main attraction that still appeals to the audience and
fits with the theme, such as fireworks display.

7. 4 Major
Categories
of Activities
• AncillaryActivities
– Additional fillers or things for the audience to do during
the event or at schedules intervals, such as face painting,
free massage, food tasting, etc.

8. Event
Program
Flow
&
Program
Planning
• A Program Flow is a program schedule to achieve the
purpose of the event.
• It contains the timing of each element and activity; it
should be part of the on-site production documents,
the scripts of the emcees, and the event agenda.
• Program planning should be done in consideration of
religious and cultural traditions as well as protocol and
ceremonies.

9. Program
Timing
• If the event is scheduled in the morning, it would be
good to serve hot coffee or tea to set the right tone
and mood among the participants.
• In afternoon events, people might be getting sleepy
from the sessions, so ensure that there are activities
that would keep them engaged.
• Events held in the evening usually require
entertainment numbers orWOW factors to keep
guests from leaving early.
• Regardless of the time of the event, organizers need to
be creative in coming up with an engaging program
flow that will make them want to go back given
another chance to attend the same event.

10. Selecting
Speakers
• Choose only one keynote speaker
• Don’t focus solely on getting big names
• Consider speakers who are willing to promote the
event
• Don’t wait until the last minute to invite a speaker
• Check the ability of the speakers to engage the crowd
• Get suggestions from previous attendees
• Give ample allowance between speakers in case there
are program delays

11. Selecting
speakers
• Determining the requirements for content-based
speakers, facilitators, moderators, and emcees require
a thorough understanding of the audience’s needs
from a content perspective and a learning style
perspective.
• Speaker selection starts with the needs of the
attendees and the educational goals of the event.
Other factors in speaker selection are the budget, the
availability of the speakers, the expertise of the
speakers, the ability of the speaker to draw active
participation from the crowd, and even the diversity of
speakers.

12. Selecting
speakers
• The program team head should conduct a briefing with
the speakers to explain thoroughly the program and
objectives of the event to ensure that the
presentations are engaging and do not duplicate each
other.
• In some cases, some event organizers offer assistance
in preparing Powerpoint presentations that are aligned
with the event theme.
• The speakers should also specify their requirements for
presentation – laptop, clicker, microphone, screen,
projector, and other technical requirements and needs.
• It would be wise to secure contracts and to clearly
communicate your expectations with the selected
speakers.

13. Qualities of
Effective
Speakers
• Must have the passion for sharing their knowledge,
ideas, and experience with the audience
• Should not hesitate to use new audio-visual
technologies to get the undivided attention of the
participants
• should be creative and engaging, sharing informative
materials, inspiring anecdotes, with a touch of good-
nature humor

14. Event
Program
Format
• In deciding the program format of an event, the event
objectives and the needs of the target audience or
guests should be the main considerations. Different
formats may be used in an event structure.

15. Event
Program
Format
Formal Informal Participant-driven
Lecture Forum Brainstorming
Seminar Group discussion Silent meeting
Debate Fishbowl Roleplay
Interview Buzz session Simulation
Discussion Committee Technology center
Colloquy Learning Committees Unconference

16. Entertainers • Performers are usually invited to entertain guests to
break the serious tone of some events.
• The entertainment portion is usually the highlight of a
fellowship dinner or program.
• The organizer and the host must choose the type of
performer or entertainer wisely, considering the
sensibilities and preferences of the intended guests,
and they should be thoroughly briefed on the theme of
the event, the program, and the profile of the guests to
ensure that house rules are not violated.

17. Food and
Beverage
• Food and beverage (F&B) presentations help create an atmosphere
that bolsters the guest experience.
• A general rule for menu planning is that the food must be safe,
delicious, and easy to serve.
• A senior member of the event management team must be assigned
to be the food and beverage monitor.
• Some special meal options:
– Vegan/vegetarian – meatless
– Ovo-lacto – meatless but with eggs and dairy
– Pescetarian – fish only
– Halal – certified meals prepared the Halal way for Muslims
– Kosher – meals prepared for Jewish
– Allergen free
– Gluten free
– organic

18. Program • A program is a schedule of activities and performers
during the day/s of the event.
• The program usually refers to an external document
which organizers, performers, and attendees can refer
to.
• A sequence guide, on the other hand, is an internal,
more detailed document which includes contingencies
and further explanation to serve as organizer’s
guide/manual.
• It indicates where a staff should be at a certain hour as
well as his/her assignments during the day/s of the
event.

19. Sequence
Guide
• A sequence guide is a detailed program that indicates
the particular activity, the corresponding time for each
program element, the persons involved in and leading
each activity or element, the venue or specific part of
the venue where these activities are carried out, and
sometimes the rationale.
• It is an internal document used by concerned staff or
members of the organizers as a reference.
• It also makes it possible for a substitute or an
understudy to assume a key production position,
should the one in charge fail to perform his/her duties
on the day of the event.
• The sequence guide must be read together during the
staff briefing in order to understand and internalize it
well.

20. Exhibitor’s
Manual
• An exhibitor’s manual contains all the information that
an exhibitor needs to know in order to have a
successful participation in a particular trade show or
exhibition.
• It answers questions like “when is the ingress and
egress” and “how can I rent a table or plug in an
equipment?”
• It contains all the service forms, which include gate
pass, parking pass request, signage specs, exhibitor
identification card order form, lighting and electrical
outlet requirements, floor plan or booth layout,
ingress/egress forms or sheets for the list of items to be
brought in and out of the exhibition halls, etc.

21. Exhibitor’s
Manual
• The main objective of the manual is to make it
convenient for the exhibitors to coordinate logistics so
that they can focus more on doing business at the
exhibition hall.

22. Event
Protocols
• A protocol is commonly described as a set of
international courtesy rules.
• A protocol is a rule which describes how an activity
should be performed, especially in the field of
diplomacy.
• Protocols are actually standards, customs, and rules
laid down in writing that are common at certain types
of events and that everyone who is directly involved in
the event planning must abide by.

23. The role of
the Event
Manager
• When it comes to events that are attended by officials,
the event manager is responsible for explaining why
things are done a certain way to all internal and
external collaborators. In other words, if your event is
to be attended by aVIP individual, the protocol must
be adhered to from start to finish.What speakers go
first, who sits where, who enters when, who should
greet who...? Managing this kind of events is not at all
easy, especially if it’s not something you do every day.

24. Diplomatic
Protocol
• The diplomatic protocol is the customs and regulations
dealing with ceremonies and etiquette of diplomatic
corps.
• Personal diplomacy consists of:
– Attitude
– Manners
– Self-presentation
– Dressing code
– Speaking culture
– Social etiquette
– Faux pas (embarrassing social mistake or blunder-
confuse way)

25. Diplomatic
Protocol
• Corporate diplomacy consists of:
– Communication (verbal and non verbal)
– Cross-cultural etiquette
– Ethical issues
– Team building
• Ceremonials and social events:
– Event logistics (meetings, conference, meal, reception
and others)
– Seating plans
– Forms of address and titles
– VIP treatment
– Social graces

26. MICE
Related
Protocol
• Greeting – in all types of events, this should not be
neglected by the master of ceremonies, the greeting is
a way of showing the guests that they are welcome in
the event.
– Introducing oneself as the host
– Honoring those in order such as higher in rank, titled like
Ms., Mrs., Mr., Dr.,
– Handshake can also be a means of greeting, but be
careful when dealing with other people from other
countries
• Invitation - Is a request (spoken or written) to get
another person to join the event.
– In doing the invitation, you have to put extra careful in
addressing the letter to your guest especially if it
contains a title on his/her names

27. MICE
Related
Protocol
• Seating
– The general rule of thumb is that the most important
guest be on the right hand side of the host, the next
most important guest is on the left side of the host
• Group Photo
– Same with seating, the host should be in the middle

28. VIP Events • PlanningVIP events isn’t something we encounter
every day.These events are special, and the rules that
apply are special and new. In particular if theVIP
individual is from another country, with entirely
different customs or standards we’re not familiar with.
• It’s different when your event is to be attended by high
officials, ambassadors, or company top management.
That is why there are protocols to be put in place.

29. VIP Events • VIP guests should be welcomed in certain ways
• As an event manager, you should know that it’s not
your job to welcomeVIP guests. This part has to be
done by anotherVIP individual who is on the team you
are working for – depending on the kind of the event,
this could be the company’s general manager or the
highest official who is going to attend the event.
• Your job is to know the protocol and its rules, and
this way help your client or the people you work to
navigate the event.

30. VIP Events • If theVIP individual is from another country...
• It would be good – once you learn who theVIP is – to
inquire about where the individual comes from,
whether there are any special customs there, if the
individuals has any religious beliefs, whether there
are any special diet requirements, how long will the
individual stay, and what language the individual
speaks and accordingly secure an interpreter, etc.
The more information you have available, the less
room for error. Finally, you would not want the people
you work with, whom you are supposed to introduce to
the protocol, to be poorly or insufficiently informed.

31. VIP Events
• Where will theVIP sit?
• One of the most important things you need to know about the
protocol is the seating. If yourVIP is also one of the speakers or
scheduled to take part in a round table discussion, you need to
know where the person is supposed to be seated.
• For example: if you need to sit at the table, theVIP’s place of
honor is the first seat to the right of the person presiding the
event – the host.TheVIP guest subsequent in line by importance
should be seated on the left side of the host, and so on.
• In most cases, the seating will be British seating – when the host
sits at the head – or French seating, when the host sits at the
central part of the longest side of the table. Other guests are
seated according to the protocol.
• If the individual is only a member of the audience, your job is to
clearly mark the person’s seat in the first row (usually with the
full name printed on a piece of paper).Also, if it’s possible, you
should avoid seating two men or two women next to each other.

32. VIP Events • Start of the event and theVIP guest
• Just as there are rules for the seating, there are rules
for speaking, too.You need to know who should speak
first, and who should follow. In most cases, the
common practice is for the conference/event to be
launched by the host, who then introduces theVIP
guest, and then follow all the other individuals in
attendance in the order of importance.The reason for
this rule is the following: high officials andVIPs tend to
have overbooked daily schedules and do not have
much time on their hands. It often happens that – after
they finish their speech –VIP guests kindly thank
everyone for attending and excuse themselves.

33. VIP Events • Communicating with the staff of other Event Protocol
departments
• Activities of senior government officials and state
representatives are managed by Event Protocol
departments. This means that when aVIP individual is
attending your event, you should expect call from
some of the protocol advisors who are tasked with
going through all the details of the event with you. Be
prepared and try to provide as many details and
significant information when you answer.