Let’s face it. No one enjoys attending meetings without some kind of true purpose, or important discussion topic let alone flying to a destination just to hear a keynote speaker that isn’t interesting. That’s why it’s so important to have a strategy in place before planning your internal conference or seminar. Even if your company is fully paying for attendees, you’re still asking them to take time out of their busy schedules to come.

Every year, Anago hosts a seminar for all Master Franchise Owners and a select group of corporate staff to attend. The goal of this seminar is to come together as an entire franchise family and learn new ways on how to grow the business. The planning committee spends many weeks throughout the year planning for the annual seminar to ensure its success. This year’s event was spent in the Arizona desert, along the breathtaking Phoenix sunset. Appropriately titled, ‘Seminar in the Desert,’ many of the Franchisees found this seminar to be especially valuable. Like every successful internal company event, there are always takeaways that will help plan for the next. Here are the top takeaways from this year’s Seminar in the Desert.

1. Make the destination worthwhile, but don’t break the bank. Nearly 92% of Master Franchisees attended the seminar. Among other factors, it was Phoenix’s “travelability” score that attracted the Franchisees to the event. The airport was easy to fly in and out of, the traffic was tolerable. The hotels were affordable and the people were very accommodating.
    
2. Everyone loves receiving recognition, so what better way to spread the love than by presenting awards for that worthy of special status. This year’s winners include:

   Master City of the Year – Anago of Hawaii

   Highest Percentage Growth – Anago of Manitoba

   Most Franchise Sales – Anago of Tampa

   Highest Franchise Down Payments – Anago of Tampa

   Individual Client Sales –  Jeff Schaffer, Anago of Cleveland.

3. Develop custom creative assets for your event. Anago designed a custom ‘Seminar in the Desert’ logo along with matching custom print and presentation materials to help keep attendees engaged. It also shows how much work is put into planning these events while establishing some cohesion in the collateral.
    
4. Choosing the right time of year to host a seminar is critical from both a travel and accommodation standpoint. A city like Phoenix offers a beautiful climate. You have to take into account things like air travel, vehicle rentals, appropriate clothing, and event space that are all affected by weather. Choosing somewhere cold, with a chance of snow may hinder people’s ability to travel to that destination or to drive.
    
5. Center your internal event on your people. This is really the most important takeaway because if you don’t, the event will seem like just another conference. Your attendees want to feel appreciated and that their attendance is welcomed. Create fun themes for breakout sessions. Book a great speaker (Caveat: Choose an individual who can speak on a relevant topic related to your industry) and choose great food.

If you’re thinking about hosting a seminar or conference, take our advice and plan ahead. Dedicate time for your team of volunteers to actually develop all aspects of the event. Look for the right venue, at the right time, at the right price. Hire help if need be to keep all branded materials streamlined and engaging. Remember, the best thing you can do is host an awesome event for your people!