Conference are useful events for companies to achieve specific goals. However, planning one entails a lot of hard work, stress, and constant worrying. This is mainly due to the fact that most conferences are big and requires more steps than usual events you may have more experience in. In fact, an event planner can only succeed in organizing a conference if he or she has proven herself highly skilled in multitasking. Other skills needed are business savvy, creativity, and keen attention to detail.
Since most conferences are large-scale events, it is imperative that an event planner is well-prepared for what lies ahead. With that said, we have compiled 9 tips on how to plan a conference if you have no idea where to start.
- Set Your Goals
Every event happens for a reason. But before it occurs, you should find that particular reason to determine whether the affair is successful or not in the end. In business terms, these are the goals of a company organizing a conference. The goals you set should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely, ethical, and reasonable.
- Delegate Tasks
Keep in mind that organizing an event isn’t a one-man kind of job. An effective event planner should have a team to rely on. Delegate tasks that require their specializations (i.e. budgeting, networking, publicity, marketing, and program planning). Collaborate with people you know who can perform one task expertly.
- Choose a Theme
The theme of a conference will guide how everything will proceed. From the venue decoration to the conference entertainment, the theme will be the indicator of how it will appear. Plus, it is much easier and more organized to follow a specific motif rather than throwing random entertainment and catering.
- Know the Budget
Aside from the target audience, the budget will determine what kind of venue you can book for the conference. Save for the theme, the money set aside for the affair you are planning should also be considered when hiring vendors for entertainment and food and beverages.
- Decide on a Venue and Date
Check out all the potential venues that match your conference specifications. Make sure to ask for rates and the dates that are still available for every potential venue before signing any contract. List down everything you need that may come to mind and put them into consideration first before deciding on a venue.
- Rope in Industry Influencers as Speakers
Speakers play a big role in the success of a conference. With that said, make sure to rope in industry influencers to impart their expertise during the conference. They can also influence how well your conference promotion will do.
- Promote the Event
Use all means necessary in marketing the affair. Social media, email, even the post, you should create buzz over the event long before it happens. Also, make sure to post updates about when you are able to sign in speakers among other developments in your event planning.
- Set Up Registration
Thanks to the magic of the Internet, event registration can now be set up before the scheduled event date. You can create a website or disseminate an online form for potential attendees to sign up for the conference. This way, you can predict how many people will be attending the conference.
You can also use this registration process to collect fees ahead of time. Set up as many payment collection methods as possible to provide as much flexibility for attendees who opt to pay ahead.
- Monitor Hourly for Changes
During the conference, make sure to monitor for changes and adjust appropriately. Make sure to walk around the conference hall to see how the event is doing. This will also allow you to deal with problems as they happen.
