A conference client emails to ask when the pre-con is scheduled. If your venue mostly hosts weddings and parties, the term may be new, and the question may leave you wondering what the client expects. Conference hotels run these meetings routinely, and corporate and association planners rely on them.
A pre-con meeting is simple to run once you know its purpose. It is the final check that the venue, the client and the key vendors share the same plan before the event begins.
What Is a Pre-Con Meeting?
A pre-con meeting, short for pre-convention or pre-conference meeting, is a meeting held shortly before an event at which the client's planner and the venue's key department leads review every detail of the event together. It usually takes place one to three days before the event, or the morning of a short program, and covers the schedule, room setups, food and beverage, AV, staffing, security and billing. Its purpose is to confirm the plan and catch any gaps while there is still time to fix them.
Who Attends
The client side usually includes the lead planner and sometimes their onsite team, a production manager or the person handling registration.
On the venue side, attendance depends on the event's size. A large conference hotel brings department heads from sales, catering, banquets, AV, security, front desk and accounting. A smaller venue might bring the event manager, the chef or catering lead, the AV lead and the operations or facilities lead.
- Client lead planner and key onsite staff
- Venue event manager who owns the event
- Catering or banquet lead and chef
- AV and production lead
- Operations, security and billing contacts as needed
Introduce everyone by name and role, and share a contact list. The planner should leave knowing exactly whom to call for each issue.
When It Happens
Most pre-cons happen one to three days before the event, after the final banquet event orders are signed and the guest count is set. For a single-day event, it may happen the day before or early that morning. For multi-day conferences, it is often the day before attendees arrive.
Hold it in a quiet room with the event documents printed or on screen. Plan for 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the complexity of the event.
If key people cannot attend in person, a video call works, though a walk through the main rooms afterward is worth doing with whoever is on site. Seeing the stage, the registration area and the breakout rooms together often surfaces questions that a document review misses.
How It Fits Between the BEO and the Run of Show
The banquet event order sets out each function's room, setup, menu, AV and timing. The run of show sets out the minute-by-minute sequence on the day. The pre-con sits between them, using the BEOs as the agenda and confirming that every function is ready to run.
Changes agreed at the pre-con should be written into updated BEOs and the run of show the same day, so every department works from the same version.
Sample Pre-Con Agenda
Adapt this agenda for your events.
Welcome and introductions
Introduce the client team and the venue team, confirm roles and share the contact list and radio channels.
Event overview
The planner gives a brief overview of the event's goals, attendees, VIPs and any sensitivities, such as executive arrivals or press.
Function-by-function review
Walk through each BEO in order, confirming room, setup, start and end times, menus, dietary meals, AV and signage. Note any changes.
Logistics and safety
Confirm load-in, deliveries, registration, coat check, security, emergency procedures and first aid. Review accessibility needs.
Billing and wrap-up
Confirm the master account, who can authorize additional charges, the final count process and the timing of the final invoice. Agree on daily check-ins for multi-day events.
Running a Pre-Con at a Smaller Venue
Smaller venues may not have department heads for each area, but the principle is the same. The person responsible for each area should be in the room, even if one person covers several roles.
Keep the meeting focused on confirming the plan, noting changes and agreeing on how issues will be handled on the day. Large new requests should go through the normal change process, with pricing.
Offer a pre-con to every conference and corporate client, even if they do not ask. It reassures planners and catches problems early, and it shows a corporate buyer that a smaller venue runs events with the same discipline as a conference hotel.
After the Meeting
Send a short summary to everyone who attended, listing changes, decisions and open items with owners and deadlines. Update the BEOs and run of show. Share the final versions with all departments.
Follow up on open items before the event begins, and confirm each one is closed. For multi-day events, a short daily meeting with the planner each morning works as a mini pre-con for that day, covering changes to counts, rooms and timing.
Add Pre-Cons to Your Event Process
Write a standard pre-con agenda and invite list for your venue, and add a pre-con step to your timeline for every conference and corporate event over a set size. Brief your team on their role in the meeting. After a few events, planners will notice the difference.
A pre-con turns a stack of documents into a plan everyone shares.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does pre-con stand for?
Pre-con is short for pre-convention or pre-conference. It refers to the meeting between the event planner and the venue team shortly before an event. Hotels and conference centers use the term widely.
How long does a pre-con meeting take?
Many take 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the event's size and complexity. Multi-day conferences may need longer. Sharing documents in advance keeps the meeting focused.
Is a pre-con meeting the same as a site visit?
No, a site visit usually happens during the sales or planning process, while a pre-con happens just before the event. The pre-con confirms final details with the operations team. A walkthrough of the rooms may be part of it.
Do small events need a pre-con meeting?
Small events may not need a formal pre-con, but a short final call or meeting is still useful. It confirms timing, setup and contacts. Larger and more complex events benefit most from a full pre-con.
