Running BHBIA training

This page serves as a central point of reference for speakers, presenters or hosts at BHBIA events or training courses. It provides advice for preparation and guides you through the logistics and policies you need to be aware of for successful events. We hope the information below is useful to you in preparing for your event with us.

Attendees - typical types and numbers to prepare for:

Face to Face and Virtual Workshops are available to pharma and agency delegates and to both BHBIA members and non-members.

We aim for around 12-16 booked delegates to balance interactivity and individual learning. We would normally expect to go ahead with a minimum of 6-8 delegates, however this will depend on the individual event (e.g. the extent to which its success relies on a particular number or mix of delegates).

For webinars, which are exclusive events for BHBIA members, we register up to ~100 delegates via Zoom, with typical attendance being ~60 attendees. Delegates can listen via audio broadcast and can submit questions online, or if unable to attend on the day, they can access the event recording after the event to still receive the content.

Content - what to cover and to what level:

It is always a challenge to pitch sessions at the right level. 

Our experience is that the sessions attract a wide range of experience, and it is therefore important that the facilitators can accommodate this, unless a specific level has been pre-defined and agreed. 

Therefore expect to accommodate those new to the subject matter or who have been working in this area for several years and may be relatively skilled.

As a general guide, we would expect those running the sessions to: 

• Base the session around upfront delivery of best practice, techniques, and guidance. Delegates expect conveners to be experts in the room.
• Include both a short overview of the fundamentals and a look at the latest thinking or new developments, so that both experienced and less experienced delegates can benefit from attending.
• Address the issues from the perspective of both pharma company and agency delegates. Theory should be grounded in the context of commercial reality. 
• Include opportunities for interaction and discussion where practical, so that delegates can share ideas and learn from each other. 
• Be flexible to accommodate varying experience levels.

We would normally expect to see significant director level involvement both in planning sessions and running them on the day to showcase expert opinion.

Logistics - in the lead up and on the day:(include timings concertina)

We will keep in contact with you in the run up to the event to discuss practical arrangements and delegate bookings. 

It is fine to use your own company slide template or create one specifically for the event; you do not have to use the BHBIA template. Do not include contact details on the slides. See non-promotion below.

The BHBIA logo should be incorporated into your presentation on the title slide and should be as prominent as your company’s logo. It does not need to appear on subsequent slides.

Speakers’ slides and any other handouts should be provided to BHBIA 4 working days before the event.

Face to face sessions:

• The BHBIA will organise and cover the costs of room hire, lunch, refreshments, and administrative expenses, where applicable.
• Training Administrator will be there to meet you on the day and ensure that you have everything you need. Please arrive at the venue at least 30 minutes before the advertised time for your session. Dress for delegates is casual – most presenters chose to come in smart casual

 Virtual sessions:

• For virtual events the BHBIA will set up and host the event on the day with Zoom.
• We will arrange a run through in Zoom ahead of the event, to go through the technology that is available (e.g. polls, chat, Q&A, whiteboard, breakout rooms) and to check that audio and video set up is optimised.
• The Training Administrator will be on hand at both the run-through and ‘live’ session, to make sure the technical side is covered.

Typical timings leading to an event:

Consent - use of images, video and sound recordings containing personal data:

Facilitating or speaking at a BHBIA events and training assumes: 

• you give permission to the BHBIA for photographs/video/sound recordings of you to be captured and used in digital and printed media for promotional purposes. 
• you understand that some images or recordings may be selected for permanent preservation in the BHBIA archives and may be used for publication, broadcasting, public performance, displays and exhibitions. 

 If you do not consent to this, please inform us prior to the event and we will ensure that your image is not identifiable in any footage that we publish. 

Please also consult the BHBIA Privacy Notice for further details about capture and use of personal data.

Advertising - making the event known:

We will liaise with you in advance to ensure that we have all the information we need to promote the event via the BHIBA website, emails and social media channels. We aim to start promotion in earnest around 3 months before the event. There is an ‘early-bird’ discount for those who register at least 8 weeks in advance. 

We encourage facilitators to join us in sharing their excitement about the event on social media as long as this is not done in a way that promotes their company’s products or services. Please see the non-promotion section below for more details.

Please use tag the BHBIA company on LinkedIn (our primary social media channel) and @BHBIAssociation on X (Twitter).

The BHBIA reserves the right to publish course reviews, including quotations from delegates in BHBIA publications.  For face-to-face events, we may use or publish photograph or video captured on the day. 

Non-Promotion - how to avoid inadvertently selling your services:

Ensuring that training is non-promotional is a core value for the BHBIA. Running one of our sessions provides organisations with an opportunity to raise their profile amongst other BHBIA members but it’s important to ensure that the content is non-promotional, unbiased and offers a balanced and fair perspective of the topic.

This does not mean you have to avoid referring to your own organisation's data/methodologies, as long as this is done within a balanced context of all the available techniques.

We encourage you to join us in sharing your excitement about the event via social media, however, it is not acceptable when done in a way that promotes your company’s products or services.

For further information, please view Guidelines for Avoiding Promotion at BHBIA Training 

Speaker Fees & Expenses

As the BHBIA is a ‘not for profit’ organisation, it is expected that member companies (or other organisations operating in the field of business insights) will provide their time and expertise free of charge – i.e. they will not be offered any fee, whether in the form of a direct payment, a donation to another organisation, or on any other basis.

Running one of our sessions provides organisations with an opportunity to raise their profile amongst BHBIA members and be associated with best practice in business intelligence.

Exceptions to this:

• We do pay fees to professional training providers who we have approached to run training courses for us.
• Payment of honoraria to external guest speakers will also be considered on request.

It is expected that members will not usually claim expenses from the BHBIA and that involvement in activities is ‘self’ funded. However, in exceptional circumstances, claims for expenses will be considered. All claims must be agreed in principle with the Treasurer in advance.

For more information, please see the BHBIA Expenses and Honoraria policy.

Thank you!

The BHBIA is committed to promoting excellence and best practice within UK Business Insights, and we are indebted to all our contributors and collaborators for their passion and enthusiasm in doing this. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your involvement and we look forwards to working with you.