Planning your convention

• 1). Determine the scope of your meeting. Are you planning an a single-evening banquet, a full day of panel discussions or perhaps a weekend gathering that incorporates numerous events? This will dictate the amount of help you need, what type of facility is most appropriate and necessary budget.
  
  
• 2). Assemble a planning committee. Consider assigning specific roles. You might appoint one person to be the secretary and keep meeting minutes and other documentation. Another might handle finances, while someone else manages communications and promotional materials.
  
  
• 3). Consider your funding options. While conventions frequently make money, you're not going to get yours up off the ground without some starter funds. Perhaps you can take advantage of a special funding within your chapter or group, or you might net some fast cash from advance ticket sales. Consider other fundraising opportunities, including soliciting donations or investment money from people in your community.
  
  
• 4). Select a location. You might be able to host an open meeting or banquet in a restaurant or community center. A more involved event will probably require use of a convention center or hotel meeting rooms. Take advantage of event-planning services these venues might offer, as they know from experience how to best prepare for logistical concerns such as parking and seating.
  
  
• 5). Plan your program. Choose a theme for your event and organize your agenda. Be mindful of the fact that many attendees come to these events to meet and talk with others, so offer lots of opportunities for mingling. Be sure to schedule time for question-and-answer sessions, restroom breaks and even just time for people to refresh.
  
  
• 6). Recruit speakers. Depending on your convention theme, you may want to include speakers of varying specialties. Be clear about how expenses will be handled, and ask specifically about how each would like to be cited in conference materials. Speakers who are AA members themselves may want their anonymity protected.
  
  
• 7). Promote your event. Take advantages of opportunities to advertise your event through resources such as AA publications like the AA Grapevine, which runs event listings in the monthly magazine and online. Local and regional newspapers that promote support groups are great places for ad space, as well.
  
  
• 8). Prepare for anything. Embrace the fact that probably not everything will go as scheduled. Try not to panic. Try to view any hiccups as opportunities to shine.