Business conferences are incredibly exciting events and they can be run in a number of different ways, from the formal educational conference that is designed to pass on knowledge and skills, through to those that are designed to help businesses to network with one another and to build up their supplier chains.
Whatever the reasons for holding a conference there is one thing that they all have in common – the need for rigorous planning beforehand. There are lots of moving parts to a conference and it is important that you take the time to think about all the aspects and to give yourself enough time to market the event to your customers and clients. With more and more people looking at digital events, it is also possible to hold business conferences virtually. But they will still need a good degree of planning to make them successful events.
Here are some of the things that you need to think about and plan carefully.
Location – deciding on the location of your conference will depend very much whether it is a local or a national event. If you are looking at inviting attendees from the same geographical location you can look for a venue in the local area. However, if you are looking to draw people in from across the UK and maybe even internationally, you will need to think of a location that is accessible for everyone. This is one of the reasons that large scale events tend to take place in the larger UK cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and London.
Content – you need to consider what the purpose of your event is and look at the content that you want to include. This could be central speakers or you might have smaller breakout rooms where people can choose the events that interest them the most.
Speakers – once you have decided on your content you will then need to look for speakers to deliver this content for you. If you are drawing in a national audience you might look for some well known experts and if you are running a local event you might want to have local business specialists speaking instead.
Security and health – when holding an in person event, it is important that you think about the health and safety of those that attend. It is important that you have the appropriate Event Medical Cover like that you can get from https://privateparamedicservices.co.uk/event-medical-cover/. The type of cover that you need will depend on the event that you are holding, the number of people and the activities that are going to be taking place.
Setting goals and planning the programme
Start by deciding what the conference needs to achieve. From a business point of view, that means being clear about what the event should convey and what delegates should leave with. The answer shapes everything else, from the format to the speakers you approach, and it helps you judge whether the event was a success afterwards.
Then think about the programme from the delegates’ side. A busy event can be overwhelming, and people who have not planned their day can get distracted by the crowds and miss the sessions they came for. Offer the kinds of talks and seminars your audience will want to attend, secure some strong keynote speakers, and publish a clear schedule early so attendees can map out their day in advance.
Social media is useful before, during and after the event. It helps you promote the conference and connect with attendees and exhibitors, and it lets those connections carry on once the official programme has finished, which adds lasting value for everyone who took part.
Common mistakes conference organisers repeat
Rebooking last year’s star speaker is tempting, but they will probably cover the same ground, which feels stale to returning delegates. Fresh speakers and new material keep the programme interesting. Technology matters too. Delegates arrive with phones, tablets and smart watches, so free WiFi is the minimum, letting them network, send emails and connect online. Live streaming can open the event to people who cannot attend.
Plan for the worst case, such as a power cut. Backup power is especially important at unusual venues like historic buildings, landmarks or outdoor sites.
Do not pack every minute with presentations. Many people come to network, so leave time before, during and after the sessions for them to mingle. Allow for talks that overrun, proper rest breaks and a real question and answer session after each presentation, which lets delegates engage with the topic and ask for clarification.