0% found this document useful (0 votes)
3 views13 pages

Conference Planning Guide

This guide provides essential steps for organizing a successful conference, emphasizing the importance of early planning, forming a dedicated executive committee, and securing venues and speakers. It outlines key roles and responsibilities within the committee, as well as strategies for fundraising, sponsorship, and marketing. Additionally, it highlights the significance of maintaining a consistent brand image through promotional materials and proper use of the Wharton logo.

Uploaded by

wamdawoo
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
3 views13 pages

Conference Planning Guide

This guide provides essential steps for organizing a successful conference, emphasizing the importance of early planning, forming a dedicated executive committee, and securing venues and speakers. It outlines key roles and responsibilities within the committee, as well as strategies for fundraising, sponsorship, and marketing. Additionally, it highlights the significance of maintaining a consistent brand image through promotional materials and proper use of the Wharton logo.

Uploaded by

wamdawoo
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Conference Planning 101

INTRODUCTION
Organizing a conference will require hard work, dedication, and organization, but the
experience can be enriching! In this guide, you will find some guidelines, marketing
suggestions, and administrative and vendor information that will assist you in planning
your conference.

This guide has been compiled based on helpful information from previous student groups
and updated by the Office of Student Life staff. If you have any suggestions, corrections,
or questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Office of Student Life at
mbastudentlife@[Link]. Good Luck!

GETTING STARTED
Students should start planning a minimum of 8-12 months in advance. Although this
seems a little early, please remember that:

a) venue selection may be limited

b) available dates on the school calendar go quickly

c) high-profile speakers tend to book their schedule 6 months to a year in advance.

When asked what they would do differently, former student chairs unanimously replied:
Plan ahead! We urge you to read through the following sections of this guide and carry
them out promptly.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A solid executive committee of dedicated, hardworking people is vital to a successful
conference. Designate an Executive Committee as soon as possible.

When recruiting volunteers, don’t forget to recruit Wharton undergraduates! Wharton


undergraduates can be a great source of talented labor and a marketing vehicle. Below
is a list of possible positions and duties you could use to build your committee:

Position Description

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 1
Responsible for overseeing the entire conference.
Duties include ensuring that all operations run
smoothly, following up with VPs to monitor
progress, motivating volunteers, creating and
Chair(s) tracking a budget, scheduling meetings, and
providing leadership and direction. Consider
having co-chairs to divvy up the work and lead the
way!
Responsible for overseeing all marketing aspects.
Marketing can be the most time-consuming area
and the most essential task. Therefore, it is
Marketing VP advisable to select several volunteers to help.
Consider selecting directors to handle specific
tasks.
Responsible for motivating students to attend the
conference. Duties include sending out
communications to the Wharton community,
Director of Student Relations advertising flyers around JMHH and Penn, and
hyping up the conference to the student body. Also
responsible for publicizing conferences for local
and regional universities. Report to Marketing VP.
Responsible for encouraging the university to
participate in the conference by placing ads in the
Daily Pennsylvanian, the Almanac, etc., emailing
Director of University Relations other schools such as Engineering, Law,
Annenberg, Perelman, and contacting GAPSA.
Report to Marketing VP.
Responsible for contacting members outside the
University community, such as the Philadelphia
Director of Community Relations Chamber of Commerce, business councils,
consulates, local businesses, etc. Report to
Marketing VP.
Responsible for creating and maintaining the
alumni database, contacting and sharing
Director of Alumni Relations information with alums and alum clubs, and acting
as liaison between the conference and the Alumni
Affairs Office. Report to Marketing VP.
Liaises with the Wharton Communications Office to
encourage media coverage. Writes articles for
Director of Public Relations Wharton and Penn publications. Report to
Marketing VP.
Responsible for overseeing the development and
design of the website, including online registration.
Director of Website Development Also responsible for updating and maintaining the
website. Report to Marketing VP.
Responsible for providing content and designing
Director of Promotional Materials programs, posters, and flyers. Report to Marketing
VP.
Responsible for overseeing ticket sales and
monitoring sales (online, via mail, and at school).
Duties include recruiting volunteers to sell tickets
Director of Sales and managing a comprehensive list of confirmed
registrants. Also responsible for preparing name
badges.

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 2
Responsible for securing sponsorships by sending
out solicitation letters and following up with
companies to request sponsorship. Also
Corporate Relations VP responsible for obtaining sponsors’ logos, banners,
posters, giveaways, etc., and sending out thank
you letters.
Responsible for submitting deposits, approving
reimbursements, and paying invoices. Also
Treasurer responsible for appraising the Chair of the
conference’s financial status.
Responsible for selecting hotel/conference venue
and ensuring that all onsite services and
equipment have been accounted for, including A/V,
Logistics VP telephone, internet services, food, beverages,
easels, microphones, etc. Also responsible
for onsite registration.
Responsible for supervising the selection of panel
Content VP topics, invited panelists, and correspondence
between panel directors and invited speakers.
Act as the point person between the speaker and
the conference. Follow up with invited speakers to
Panel Directors confirm attendance, request bios and photos, send
information to speakers, and coordinate travel
arrangements. Report to Content VP.

SET UP GROUP CHATS & REGULAR PLANNING MEETINGS


Considering the large number of people and the tremendous amount of work involved in
organizing a conference, it is advisable to set up a group chat or utilize Slack for
communication among the organizers. Meet with past executive committee members
to ascertain that all data and information have been uploaded to the appropriate
cloud-sharing service your club is utilizing. Information such as speaker contacts,
sponsor contacts, vendor information, attendance data, mailing lists, etc., should be
listed. The transfer of information from one group to the next is essential to ensure the
continuity of the conferences. Much time and energy are wasted each year in reinventing
the wheel due to misplacement of data.

SELECT A DATE & VENUE


It is advisable to secure a conference site as early as possible. Most conferences use off-
campus facilities. Philadelphia is a popular conference destination, and hotels book up
rather quickly. This is especially important if you intend to organize a conference for 400+
attendees since only a handful of hotels can accommodate groups of this size. Contact
various hotels to receive a list of available dates and ask if their facilities meet your needs,
e.g., breakout space, size, number of large ballrooms, etc. Once they have indicated that
they have the necessary facilities, visit the site to confirm the quality and size of the rooms.
Find out how long reservations can be held, cancellation deadlines, sleeping room
requirements, etc.

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 3
If you are interested in using university facilities, several lecture halls and auditoriums are
at your disposal. Please note that these spaces also book up rather quickly. Popular sites
include the Penn Museum, Bodek Lounge, Irvine, and Annenberg. Below is a table you
can utilize to find on and off-campus sites:

Suggested Off-Campus Sites Suggested On-Campus Sites


The Bellevue Hotel Penn Event Spaces
Hilton Philadelphia at Penn Landings Wharton Event Spaces
Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District Annenberg Center for Performing Arts
Doubletree by the Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Penn Museum
Loews Philadelphia Hotel Perelman Quadrangle
The Inn at Penn, a Hilton Hotel University Club @ Penn
Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square Perelman School of Medicine
Pennsylvania Convention Center Penn Athletics Facilities & Penn Park
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Penn Law School
Sheraton Society Hill
Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown
The Rittenhouse Hotel
The Study at University City

Selecting A Date:

Prior to securing a date and locking in a space on campus, review the MyWharton
calendar and WGA calendar for available dates. Wharton holds numerous events
throughout the school year. Ensure your desired date does not conflict with another
major event or conference. Avoid dates that come before or follow a major holiday.
Once you have selected a date, lock in the date by requesting it to be advertised
on the MyWharton and WGA calendars.

DEVELOP A THEME & PANEL TOPICS


Every conference needs a theme! Your conference theme should highlight the
educational objective of the conference. Your theme is also necessary when contacting
and sending invitations to your speakers and panelists. Be sure to review the themes of
prior conferences to have an idea of what’s been done before and to assist with
brainstorming your current conference theme. Please remember that the Wharton
School’s high academic reputation should be reflected in the speakers' quality and the
depth of the discourse during your conference. Your conference has the Wharton name
behind it, which needs to be reflected positively!

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 4
SPEAKERS & PANELISTS
There are policies and guidelines for not only asking someone to speak but also how to
go about booking a speaker for your conference. Each speaker that a group, club,
department, or individual wishes to invite to a Wharton event, whether on campus
or off-site, MUST be approved by the Dean’s Office (and, sometimes, the University)
before any invitation is extended. Each speaker request must be submitted using the
school-wide Speaker Approval Management System. Requests are typically processed
within three business days. Speakers that require additional review may take up to 2
weeks to receive final approval. Failure to abide by this policy may result in losing Wharton
and University resources.

Helpful Tips:

It is Wharton’s policy not to pay a speaker; however, a thank-you gift (valued


-
at around $25) is perfectly acceptable.
- Click here to download a Speaker Checklist template to help make sure you do
not forget any details.
- All speakers on or off campus at a Wharton event must complete a media
release. Direct the speaker to the appropriate online Wharton Media Release
form
Keynote Speakers

Securing high-profile speakers is not as easy as people think. Although Wharton has a
strong brand, please remember that CEOs, political leaders, ex-presidents,
ambassadors, entrepreneurs, VCs, etc., are extremely busy people who book their
schedules several months in advance. It is advisable to send out keynote invitation letters
as early as possible. Marketing the conference is much easier once you’ve secured at
least one. When sending out keynote invitations, send them in waves of 10 letters. Follow
up with invitees two weeks after letters have been sent. Always attempt to get 1 or 2 more
keynotes than you need since cancellation occurs frequently.

Panelists

Securing panelists tends to be easier than securing keynotes. Brainstorm with your group
to devise a list of targeted speakers and go after them. A robust and exciting list of
panelists can serve as your most effective sales pitch.

Be prepared for the possibility that a panelist or moderator may cancel very close to the
conference date. Maintaining a list of potential panelists who could be secured within a
limited time frame is wise.

Once a speaker/panelist has been confirmed, please ask your panel directors to request
a bio and photo from the speaker. One hundred fifty words per speaker bio is a good
length. Do not underestimate the difficulty of procuring speaker photos and bios and the
time required. Please remember that a program can look sparse and unprofessional
without bios and pictures.

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 5
Also, remember to ask your panel directors to follow up with the speakers/panelists
regarding travel, hotel arrangements, program agenda, arrival time, departure time, a/v
needs, etc. Many speakers expressed frustration at being left in the dark until a couple of
days before the conference. Please remember that speakers/panelists are extremely
busy people who have taken the time out of their busy schedules to participate in your
conference. Please act in a respectful, considerate manner.

FUNDRAISING & SPONSORSHIP


Organizing a conference is a costly endeavor. Depending on the size of your conference,
most conferences usually run between $40,000 - $130,000. The earlier student groups
mobilize their fundraising efforts, the more successful they will be in raising money and
finding sponsors for their events. Please keep in mind that companies have limited
sponsorship funds. The later you wait to solicit funds, the greater risk you run that the
sponsorship pool may be dry by the time your request is reviewed.

In crafting a strategy to solicit funds, please remember that companies are bombarded
with requests for sponsorships from all different organizations. Potential sponsors will
want to assess how your conference’s objectives will increase their visibility and presence
at Wharton. Be prepared to answer the following questions: What events/panels do you
have planned? How can the company play a role in making them a success? How much
financial assistance is requested? What benefits can the company receive in return for
their financial contribution?

All sponsorships and donations must be made out to the Wharton Graduate Association.
You can work with WGA to secure sponsorship funds and complete the appropriate
sponsorship intake forms. Review the Sponsorship Intake and Forms tab on the WGA
website. Always remember to send Thank You letters with all sponsorships and
donations!

Helpful Hints When Soliciting Funds:

1. Ask early. A good number of companies make their sponsorship decisions


between May and July.

2. Create an attractive list of benefits.

3. Include any marketing materials, e.g., past brochures, articles, website


addresses, etc., with your solicitation letter. Sell your conference as the hottest
event on campus/in Philadelphia!

4. Leverage any student contacts that you may have. Remember -- most
sponsorship funds come from the company’s recruiting budget. Ask second-year
students to solicit funds from their summer employers – this is usually the most
effective strategy for securing funds!

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 6
5. Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! Recruiters are very busy, and your request for
funds is probably low on the totem pole. Companies are most likely interested in
learning about sponsorship opportunities but must be reminded that a prompt
response would be appreciated. Be persistent.

6. For company contacts, ask around! Career Management, Office of Student Life,
Corporate and Foundation Relations, and current students are excellent sources
for finding helpful contacts. Don’t forget about our alumni database, MyPenn.

Working With Wharton External Affairs

Wharton External Affairs and the Development and Alumni Relations Office can help
student groups raise funds. However, please remember that their resources are limited,
and they strive to secure funds for the entire school, not just student groups. They can
connect you with companies interested in a particular area. It is always a good idea to
email their office to let them know what your plans are. They can also assist you by
providing you with some leads.

Other Resources

Don’t forget to tap into university-allocated funds. Specific centers and institutes may also
be interested in helping. For example, the Center for Africana Studies, Lesbian Gay
Bisexual Transgender Gay Center, etc., have partnered with Wharton conferences in the
past. For additional funding opportunities, review the below list of grants, funds and
sponsorships:

Diversity & Inclusion Fund


Campaign for Community
Wellness Grant
Sachs Program for Arts
Office of the Provost Funding Opportunities
GAPSA Sponsorship
WGA Sponsorship

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
Planning a conference entails designing save-the-dates, flyers, programs, and a website.
Having attractive, mistake-free marketing materials is essential to the successful branding
of your conference. Your conference's flyers, website, and printed materials are the first
impressions targeted marketing groups will have of your conference and Wharton.
Therefore, publications must be proofread very carefully to avoid mistakes.

Use Of The Wharton Logo


The Wharton School
The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 7
Wharton strives to have a consistent brand image, and correctly using the Wharton/Penn
logo is a primary part of that effort. The consistent and effective use of Wharton's logo
plays a vital role in strengthening the identity and visibility of the School and University
overall and increasing the individual impact of each communication. There are strict
guidelines that must be followed when using the logo. To ensure proper use of the logo,
visit the Branding Your Event page on the Wharton Marketing and Communications Team
website.

Print Materials

Having excellent, professional-looking print materials is essential to creating a solid


brand. Do not underestimate the time required to design and print marketing
materials. Although you will retain a vendor to design the materials, you will still need to
provide the designer with content and remember that proofs must be exchanged several
times before the final draft is completed. Printing the materials usually takes two weeks.
Some materials that you may want to consider printing:

Posters: Attractive, informative posters can effectively attract attention to your


conference. Try to limit the information in the poster to what is essential to
attract attention. Visual impact is your marketing goal. Posters should go up 2
– 4 weeks in advance.
Program Brochure: Creating a program brochure is very time-consuming and
challenging. The program should include a schedule, description of panels,
speaker bios and photos (if feasible), sponsor ads, welcome letters, and
acknowledgments. Do not underestimate the challenge of collecting speaker
bios and sponsor ads. The program should look as professional as possible.
The program brochure is the only tangible item attendees take to remind them
of the conference. Aim to have all content to the designer a minimum of one
month before the conference date.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT & ONLINE REGISTRATION


The conference website is the easiest way to obtain information about your conference.
Create a homepage as quickly as possible and add information to it as soon as that
information becomes available. Links to past conferences' websites help market the
current year’s event.

Helpful Hints for Designing A Website:

1. Register the website with various search engines such as Square Space or Wix,
etc. This will help to increase traffic to your website.

2. Request password-protected website access once the frame has been


developed. Free access to the website will allow you to make text and graphic
changes to the website. This will enable you to update the website instantaneously
and reduce maintenance costs. Designate only one person to make these
changes; otherwise, simultaneously, changes can cancel each other out.
The Wharton School
The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 8
3. Request logos from sponsors in EPS or JPEG format. EPS and JPEG are more
easily manipulated than TIF or PPT. Logos in MSWord are unacceptable.

4. Request a training session from the website developer on how to use HTML,
Microsoft Frontpage, etc., for maintenance purposes.

***Print developers can also assist with web design to create a standard look.

Registration

Most of your attendees will register online. All conferences outsource online registration
to various online registration companies—fees for online registration range from 3% to
8%.

Consider Using:

· Eventbrite
· Campus Groups
· Creative Repute
Features you should look for include the ability to collect data, manage databases, track
data, use a global listserv, be password/user ID sensitive, process refunds, etc.

When deciding on online ticket sales, don’t forget to discuss price strategies such as
group rates, advance registration, etc.

BUDGET
Once you have a rough idea of the costs for site and equipment rental, food, and
marketing, establish a realistic budget. Determine the funds you will need to raise to cover
your expenses. When creating a budget, please consider the service and tax charges.
For example, most hotels have a 20% service fee. As for taxes, the WGA is exempt from
both federal and state taxes.

All student conferences fall under the purview of the WGA. Therefore, your conference
should have a WGA account. All conference-related expenses should be submitted to the
WGA and signed by the CFO. If you do not have a WGA account, you can establish one
by contacting WGA.

All WGA clubs and conferences must follow a budget and report the budget to the WGA
within two weeks of the start of the school year. These budgets ensure that all clubs and
conferences plan and spend according to their funds each year.

All budgets must be submitted using the WGA budget template and submitted to
[Link]@[Link]. Clubs that have not yet submitted budgets are not
eligible for reimbursements.

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 9
MARKETING
It is of utmost importance to the conference's success and to the branding of the Wharton
name that conference rooms are filled to capacity. Please keep in mind that a half-filled
room can dampen the mood and energy of the conference. Furthermore, speakers and
panelists will probably be disappointed to have traveled so far to speak to only a handful
of people. Marketing will take up the bulk of your time. Do not underestimate the time and
energy needed to market your conferences effectively! Determine what your goals are
and what markets you intend to target. Recent conference attendance data has indicated
that approximately half of the conference attendees comprised alumni and community
members. In other words, look beyond the student population for
attendance. Conferences usually target four markets:

1) Wharton/Penn students
2) Wharton alumni
3) Regional schools
4) Philadelphia business community

Conferences also attempt to attract regional and national attention by soliciting media
sponsorships.

1. Wharton/Penn students

Approximately one-half of your conference attendees will be Wharton and Penn students.
Some practical ways to reach them are through listservs, Campus Groups, social media,
Slack, and utilizing the WGA calendar.

Follow the MBA Class Listserv Usage Guidelines below to send emails through the
MBA Class listserv:

MBA Class listservs are for official University, MBA Program, and designated WGA-
approved club communications. Communications sent to the MBA Class listservs are
closely monitored and are subject to moderation and approval by the MBA Program
Office. Emails are reviewed by a member of the MBA Program Office Monday through
Friday during business hours, usually within two business days of receipt (these
guidelines are subject to change).

MBA Class Listserv Usage Guidelines:

· Programming, events, and resources marketed via the Class Listserv emails
must be open to all MBA students
· Communications that are not University, MBA Program, or WGA-approved club
affiliated will not be approved
· Emails marketing events/programs that conflict with class will not be approved
· Communications sent by individual students who are not representatives of a
WGA-approved club or conference will not be approved
· Personal sales and advertisements of products or services will not be approved

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 10
· Emails marketing any sale (tickets, swag, etc.) must be sent by an official
representative of a club
· WGA-approved clubs and conferences are permitted three emails per school
year – one during the post-Club Pub email blitz (usually 48 hours following Club
Pub) for recruitment purposes and two additional emails at any time during the
school year.
· If you have any questions or assistance, please get in touch with the MBA
Program at mbaprogram@[Link].
Please note that there are separate listservs for graduate and undergraduate students.
There are various ways to reach student groups. One way is to contact each school’s
admissions or student affairs office to inquire about their student listservs. Below is some
contact information:

School Contact
Annenberg School for Front Desk: contact@[Link]
Communications
Penn Carey Law School Student Affairs: mdislam@[Link]
Penn Social Policy & Practice Student Services: jonesjen@[Link]
School of Dental Medicine Margaret Yang: xiaojiao@[Link]
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Kelly Walsh: kelalsh@[Link]
Perelman School of Medicine Carrie Renner: rennerc@.[Link]
Wharton Undergraduate Lisa Podolsky: lisapod@[Link]
Penn Graduate School of Education GSE: gse-staf@[Link]
Penn Engineering School Bryanna Bonner: bryannab@[Link]
WEMBA Nancy Dupont: dupontn@[Link]

2. Wharton Alumni

The best way to reach out to alumni is through the website [Link]. You can
work with External Affairs and the Development and Alumni Relations Office to determine
the appropriate communication channels. We ask that you reach out to alumni eight
weeks in advance.

3. Other Schools

Wharton conferences have successfully attracted graduate and undergraduate students


from other schools. To contact specific student clubs, please visit the school’s Student
Life website. Usually, club and contact information is posted there. Below are several:

· Harvard Business School


· Columbia Business School
· New York University Stern
· Stanford Business School
· Northwestern Kellog Business School
· University of Chicago Booth School of Business
· Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School
The Wharton School
The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 11
· University of California, Berkeley Haas
· Yale University School of Management
· University of Michigan Ross School of Business
In addition to sending emails, it is also a great idea to solicit help from current students at
these schools. If you or members of your conference know people at these schools, be
sure to ask them to lend a helping hand with advertising your conference.

4. Philadelphia Business Community

More and more of Philadelphia’s business community members have participated in


Wharton conferences. Attracting Philadelphia’s business community members has
several advantages: strengthening the ties between Wharton and Philadelphia, ensuring
strong turnout, and earning substantial profit margins. Past conferences have significantly
benefited from creating a strong alliance with local business councils. In return for limited
visibility, these local business councils offer Wharton conferences access to their mailing
list, help promote the conference, and may also create a link to the conference’s website.
Forming alliances with local businesses is a strategic move worth considering.

For international conferences, in addition to contacting them, you may want to contact the
numerous embassies and consulates located in Philadelphia. Here is a link to a list of
embassies and consulates in Philadelphia.

Public at Large

For a broader-based marketing strategy, many groups have solicited media sponsorships
from companies such as the Asian Wall Street Journal, FastCompany,
[Link], etc. For assistance with press releases, email Wharton
Communications at communciations@[Link].

Another incredible Wharton media resource is Knowledge@Wharton. K@W has been


partnered with student conferences for several years. K@W brochures help to promote
conferences by writing articles in K@W about the conferences. 80,000+ registered users
read K@W, which increases the coverage of the conference. For more information,
contact Knowledge@[Link].

Admissions has also been very helpful regarding marketing conferences. Admissions
representatives travel throughout the States and overseas to host information sessions.
They would be more than happy to distribute brochures, flyers, etc., at these information
sessions. For more information, please get in touch with Park Watson at
rpwatson@[Link]. Alternatively, please feel free to drop by Admissions in
Vance to chat with a member of their office!

PRINT MATERIALS
Once you have decided on which designer and printer you will use, you will have to start
drafting the content for your program. The most time-consuming project is creating the
The Wharton School
The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 12
program. You will need to draft the entire content for the program, such as panel
descriptions, obtain a welcome letter from the Dean, request bios and pictures from
speakers/panelists, and request ads from sponsors. The legwork required for this project
is tremendous since several follow-ups must be made to secure ads, photos, and bios.

Attempt to have the bulk of the program finalized a month before the conference to give
you some wiggle room. Most designers will be able to make changes, e.g., speaker
additions/cancellations, for a reasonable fee as long as the brochure's layout isn’t
drastically altered. As for the print job, most printers can complete it if given 7 –10
business days; however, there may be a premium fee placed on short turnaround jobs.

Keep in Mind:

· All digital photos should be in JPEG or TIF files. MSWord is not acceptable.
· Sponsor logos should be in JPEG or EPS files.
· If you’re unsure about additions to the program, such as speaker bios, ask the
designer to create placeholders for you. Creating placeholders is much cheaper
than asking the designer to revamp the layout.
· Print cost depends on the cut of the brochure and the number of colors used.
Black and white are the cheapest; 4 colors are the most expensive.
· Print cost also depends on turnaround time.
· Most of the costs related to printing are fixed. Hence, there may be a marginal
price difference between printing 200 brochures and 2,000 of them. However,
once a job is on press, there is no turning back…therefore, have several eyes
carefully proofread everything before going to press.
Most posters can be printed rather quickly using digital printing. The quality of digital
printing is poorer than that of conventional printing. However, digital printing is much
cheaper than traditional printing and can be completed within a few days. Creating foam-
backed posters is expensive, but the visual impact is so significant that it may be worth
the cost. Again, carefully proofread everything before going to press.

ORDERING PROMOTIONAL ITEMS & SWAG


Below is a list of trusted vendors to assist with creating promotional items such as swag
or gifts for your guests:

· Mainline Sports Wear


· The Barash Group
· Shore Designs
· Pride Products
If the above vendors cannot meet your event's needs, peruse Penn’s Supplier list to find
a vendor that does! Please note that you must work with an approved University vendor
when placing orders.

The Wharton School


The University of Pennsylvania Conference Planning Guide| 13

You might also like