Whether you are launching a product or you are trying to increase your networking capabilities a conference can be all things to all businesses.
But when you are looking to organise a conference, for all of the positive outcomes it can net you, it can be quite an overwhelming endeavour. But what are the key things to consider before you start setting one up?
Booking The Venue
After you decided on the theme of the conference you need to get a date in place and think about the venue that suits you. It’s not just about the size but you need to think about where it’s located, as well as the vibe.
You also need to consider the technical aspects and general facilities. If you’re looking to book somewhere like a large hall you may have to purchase retractable seating or at the very least find a company that can provide additional seating arrangements. The venue itself needs to have so many different facilities up and running that once you’ve got this right, a lot of the other components should fall into place.
Picking Your Speakers
Think about your budget and your business plan first. Once you’ve understood the theme as well as the venue you’ve got a far clear idea of who you can pick to come. If you have people in mind it’s worth getting in contact with them as soon as possible just in case they get booked up.
You also need to think about keeping them happy. When there is a speaker who is experienced, or even a celebrity figure, they can come with a list of demands. This is worth bearing in mind, especially if they are on the demanding side. It’s a very difficult thing to keep your talent placated but you must remember that they are what will make your conference thrive.
Having A Dedicated Team
From the front of house staff to the administration team as well as the marketing team and any other volunteers, it is your role to coordinate them all. Having a dedicated team on board means that they will assume responsibility for their own tasks. You must also think about the external points of contact. If you are financing the conference you may need to locate sponsors.
In which case, if you get in contact with your stakeholders and put the feelers out to see who is able to sponsor the conference, especially if it aligns with their values, this can help to improve the integrity of your event.
And once you’ve marketed the event and people are turning up, the day itself can be an incredibly stressful one. There can be so many different components that threaten to undermine the day that you have to remember to keep calm. If you’ve done the preparation adequately this will help to ensure the event goes well.
It’s not fair to say that it will go off without a hitch because there will always be last-minute problems, whether it’s in terms of the technical aspects or there may not be enough people turning up.
The important thing for you to learn is to take these things on the chin. If you’ve never set up a business conference before you will learn so many different things that you can take to the next one.
