In addition to setting up a conference venue and attracting attendees, organising a conference involves many other factors. It is vital to plan the logistics of the event before attempting to organise it on your own. This article provides some basic information on the organisation of conferences. You can use the checklists to make sure that you’ve planned everything correctly. Once you’ve established a basic plan, you can move on to more detailed planning.
You Should Budget at Least Ten Percent more than You Would expect If You’re Organising a Simple Meeting
First of all, you should identify your purpose for organising the conference. Identify your end-goal and brainstorm for ideas. You should budget at least ten percent more than you would expect if you’re organising a simple meeting between colleagues. Also, consider hiring an external speaker to give a keynote speech. Once you’ve established the main goal of the conference, you should begin to plan the rest of the details, such as venue and speakers.
When it comes to marketing your conference, your best bet is to use all available channels. Many people prefer to use a combination of channels, including email marketing and social media. A mailing list, for instance, is a powerful marketing tool that’s effective for conference organizers. Lastly, you should send thank you notes to your speakers. This way, they know that they’ve been acknowledged for their contributions and that you appreciate their time.
You must First Understand the Attendees
In order to plan a successful conference, you must first understand the attendees. Ask them about their background and expectations. What types of topics do they need to learn? What format of sessions do they prefer? Are there a variety of shorter sessions? Then, you can offer different topics and lengths for each. When deciding on speakers, try to find out what time works best for each speaker. Consider the format of the conference before you choose it.
Getting sponsors for your conference is essential. Obtaining sponsors will help you stay within budget and also provide you with the speakers and venue. It’s essential to strike a balance between getting sponsors and sacrificing integrity. Another thing to consider is whether or not to organise the conference in spring, summer, or autumn. If the date is too late, you could lose out on valuable delegates. In order to maximise your chances of getting sponsors, you should set the date for your conference six to twelve months beforehand.
If Possible, Try to Avoid Booking your Conference during Summer or Winter Holiday Periods
When planning a conference, keep in mind the location. A city’s proximity to the conference venue is important. You need to consider how accessible it is for attendees. Having easy access to car parking is a key issue. The city should have interesting cultural experiences as well as an exciting nightlife so attendees can relax after the event. You can also hold a conference on weekends if you prefer. If possible, try to avoid booking your conference during summer or winter holiday periods, as the competition can be intense.
After the conference, make sure to follow up with attendees to find out how the event went. If possible, send them a short survey to get feedback on the conference experience. A post-conference movie is also a great idea to remind people of the event. This can help them remember the experience and remember the important points from it. And remember that if it is a great event, it will make the organisers feel good and able to handle any issues that may arise.
It is Important to Consider the Needs of Visitors with Disabilities
While planning a conference, it is vital to keep in mind that the energy level of attendees changes from one session to the next. In addition, the best way to avoid cramming the whole day with activities is to schedule enough downtime so that attendees can relax. After all, it is better for attendees to have some time to network. Also, scheduling downtime will help you gather feedback and reduce the number of attendees who need to leave during lunchtime.
Aside from arranging a venue, it is important to consider the needs of visitors with disabilities. It is important to design the venue to accommodate people with limited mobility and vision. By taking care of these needs, your conference will be inclusive and accessible to a wider range of people. When organising a conference, remember to include registration as much as possible so that you can get a good estimate of the number of attendees. Otherwise, it’s impossible to tell how many people will actually show up.
Make Sure to Include a Range of Speakers
Make sure to include a range of speakers, including renowned academics. Speakers will be more likely to attend if you know them personally. If possible, invite more than you plan to, since some might decline. If this happens, however, you can always send out more than you originally planned because the speakers will be happier to attend a smaller event. If you don’t do this, your event won’t attract the audience you want.
