Conferences are pretty much a vital part of business life in the 21st Century. If you want to meet the biggest players in your industry, get your brand name out there and make lasting connections with the people who can make you more prosperous, then hosting a conference or two now and again makes a lot of sense.
Of course, organizing a conference isn’t always easy, especially if that conference is going to a big one or one that is held abroad. So, if you’ve been out in charge of organizing the company’s conference this year, and you want to ensure it goes without a hitch, check out these tips for holding an unforgettable conference:
Delegate
No matter how good you are at putting together events, if you want your next conference to be truly unforgettable, then you really do need to delegate. Rope in as many volunteers from your company as you can and assign them each a task off your list (you should have a to-do list if you want things to go without a hitch) to take the pressure off yourself and ensure that all bases are covered. You might even want to delegate some of your tasks to a company like source me, who will organize sound stages, PAs and video equipment for you. Then you’ll have a lot less to worry about, and you’ll be able to concentrate on the rest of the list.
Make it Fun
Although conferences are important, a lot of professionals do everything they can to avoid them because quite often they are just so dull. If you want your conference to be memorable for the right reasons, you need to avoid the long slow fall into boredom by organizing riveting speakers, interesting games and competitions and even shows to break up the less interesting parts. You might even want to consider leaving notepads and pencils on the conference table to give your guests something to do as they listen. Doodling has been shown to improve memory, so they won’t be missing out if you do.
Concentrate on the Food
If at past conferences, you’ve noticed people leaving early and you want to stop that from happening again, one of the best things you can do is to lay on a really delicious selection of healthy foods and drinks, including main meals and snacks. The better the food, the more valued attendees, feel and the more likely they are to stick around and have some more of it!
Book Notable Speakers
The key to a great conference, above all else, is the quality of the speakers. If you can book speakers who are leaders in the industry, who have lots of stage presence and who your guests will be excited to meet, there will be a huge buzz around the event, and you’ll see a much higher attendance rate that you might have thought possible. To really maximize the excitement of the event, be sure to schedule the biggest and best speakers for last.
Some excellent tips. I am holding a conference at some meeting rooms in London and they provide excellent food so that is a bonus! The location is the main pull as London is well served with transport. I think it’s important to keep the setting and talks engaging, as I’ve been at boring ones before and you don’t take in the info.