Organizing a successful conference can be a complex task with many moving parts. Whether you are planning an intimate business meeting or a large-scale conference, having a well-thought-out plan is crucial. Here's a guide with 12 key points to help you create a memorable and effective conference.
1. purpose and objectives
Start by defining a clear purpose and goal for your conference before proceeding with the planning. There are so many decisions that depend entirely on the goal and purpose of your meeting.
2. budget
Draw up a comprehensive budget that includes all aspects of the conference, from transportation and meals to external speakers and activities. This will help keep costs under control and ensure that nothing important is overlooked.
3. Choice of conference venue
When choosing a conference venue, it is important to consider the total number of participants, how many will stay overnight. Of those staying overnight, will they be able to share a double room or should everyone have a single room. What about transportation to and from the conference facility, do you need to arrange transport or is it possible to go by public transport. Does the conference center have the technical conditions you need in the conference rooms?
4. Choose the date
It may sound like a simple thing, but the bigger the conference, the more difficult it is to find dates when all participants can attend (or at least as many as possible) and conference facilities can accommodate them. If you are also planning to bring in external speakers, it is important that their availability matches the chosen dates. It is important to consider different school holidays such as sports holidays, Easter holidays where there are different holiday weeks for different areas. If you have participants from several countries, you need to double-check the dates with these countries as well so that there is no holiday in that country on the date you have planned.
5. external speakers and activities
Inviting external speakers can add value to the conference. Make sure that the speakers' topics are relevant to the purpose and objectives of the conference. Also plan for team building activities, especially if participants do not meet often. External activity companies such as PULS and the Activity Team can help with this.
6. overnight stay
Depending on the budget and the culture of your company, you can adapt the accommodation at the conference to the wishes of the participants. If people are willing to share a double room, this can greatly reduce the cost of the conference. It may also be that the availability of the particular conference venue you want to book cannot accommodate you unless you put some of the staff in shared double rooms.
7. food and drink
Think about when the conference starts and ends. If everyone arrives in the morning of the first day at 08.00, it is appreciated to offer breakfast and coffee immediately. If it is later in the morning, it can be a simple coffee break. Should the lunch be vegetarian, in buffet format or served seated? Should we serve drinks, wine, beer, or only sparkling water? Dinner, how many courses and should there be a wine package with dinner? If you are having a kick-off and plan to stay up late at night, should wake-up calls be offered after midnight?
8. Technology in the conference room
What technology needs will you have in the conference rooms? Do you need several different projectors to show different presentations during the conference? Will you be working with large files or playing videos over the internet, what kind of bandwidth is needed on the wireless network and on the internet? Will all participants be on site or are there some who need to connect via online meeting. How can you provide the best possible experience for these people?
9. Transportation
What are the requirements for transportation to and from the site. Are some participants arriving by plane, train, car? Is there a need to arrange for bus transportation from a central location where everyone can meet up or does everyone drive directly to the conference venue.
10. Evaluation
After the conference, it is important to make an evaluation and understand how the experience was for the participants. Remember to ask about all aspects of the conference, the content of the conference, the value of external speakers, activities such as team building, accommodation and meals, conference facilities, etc.
11. Plans for things to go wrong
Plan for what must not happen. What happens if the weather is really bad and flights are canceled, roads are impassable, external speakers fall ill, the CEO who is to open the conference cannot be reached. The more you have planned for the unplanned, the better the conference will run.
12. Sustainability:
Integrate sustainability principles into all aspects of conference planning, from the choice of transportation to the selection of an environmentally certified venue. This shows your commitment to the environment and can be an important part of the conference profile.
By carefully considering these 12 points in the planning process, you can ensure a successful and memorable event that meets all your objectives and expectations. We are happy to help you with planning and suggesting conference facilities.
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