The 6 Steps to Organise a Successful Conference
To organise a successful conference, no details can be left unattended. If you have been assigned this monumental task, do not panic! Follow this series of simple recommendations.
Conferences are usually large events. To organise them successfully you must keep in mind all the details that surround the event and know how to transmit the correct message to the participants.
To undertake this task, follow these 6 fundamental steps:
1. Write down your goals and the agenda of the event. First of all, you must have clearly defined goals that you intend to specifically achieve through hosting or organising the event. Knowing in advance the objectives you want to accomplish will help you to execute your actions in the optimal manner.
2. Develop your conference budget. In order to plan the conference well, you must know how much money you can spend and what you will be required to spend it on. Make a list that details all the items to be taken into account in the budget and how much money each of them will cost. Find out the prices for these items from several suppliers so that you can choose the one that best fits your needs and your budget.
3. Choose a conference venue. When you go to visit various prospective large conference venues, keep in mind the number of participants, the convenience of the location, if there is parking available, if the train or bus routes serve it well, and if there is suitable accommodation nearby for delegates coming from overseas or if the conference is a multi-day event. Your goal should be to find a site that facilitates the attendance of the greatest number of people, with optimal convenience.
4. Select a menu. The lectures usually extend for several hours so you should remember that participants will not like to sit around all day without eating or drinking. If the chosen place does not provide catering services, consider hiring an independent catering contractor to take care of providing meals, and refreshments and drinks, etc.
5. Prepare the staff. Think about how many people you will need to work during the conference and contact them well in advance. Try to assign tasks in a clear manner so that each one of them performs their function as well as possible.
6. Do not stay outside. As much as the topics being discussed might not be of interest to you personally, do not forget to attend the conference that you organised. In this way, you will have the opportunity to take note of all the things that you think were right and those which might need to be improved upon in the future.