How to Organize a Conference: 7 Tips for a Successful Event
We barely had any events in 2020. Things are starting to get back to normal, the new normal, anyway. Organize a conference in 2021, and put the past behind you with stress-free success.
Conference planning broken down into 7 simple steps is a great place to start. Dot all your i’s, cross all your t’s and do it with the support of a team. Let’s take a closer look at how planning makes all of the difference.
1. Develop a Team and Delegate Responsibilities
The goal is to pull off a successful event- yet stay stress-free, right? The first step towards that is to develop a team to help you with your event- one that you can delegate responsibilities to and trust to get things done. Your team may include members of your organization and professionals such as event planners and an IT specialist.
2. Strategize a Strategy
Have a meeting with your team to make a complete plan- talk about the little details and the big ones. If it applies, survey your target audience as to date, speakers they’d like to see, theme, and location. Bouncing ideas off of everyone will put your finger on the pulse of what you/they need from this event, and do this in advance so that everyone has time to properly plan.
3. Stay Organized
Never underestimate the power of a list and a digital list is less likely to get lost. Take advantage of virtual groups, too. Zoom meetings and Slack space take the stress out of having to bring everyone together with constant contact.
Your list may include subjects such as:
- Event venue
- Speakers
- Entertainment between speakers
- Budget
- Theme
- Decorations
- Tickets
- Event communication (walkie talkies/headsets)
If it is in the budget to give out promotional gear, have masks made up, and pass out hand sanitizers to remind everyone to stay safe.
4. Utilizing Your Resource
Communicate your needs with your event center. If they supply speakers, extra tables, certain colored linens, or advertisement for your event, they should know ahead of time that you will require those things. Last-minute decisions will only stress you (and them) out.
5. Send Save The Dates
Create a website for your event, sell tickets online, make a virtual event that people can share — do whatever you have to do to get people interested and dedicated to coming. Hype your event up, send out plenty of reminders, and stay active in your online presence!
Get confirmations so that you have an idea of how many people are coming, how many programs you’ll need to print etc. When communicating with guests, let them know about restaurants in the area, local hotels, and directions on parking. Give them the contact information of important people in your team, and the direct phone number to the event center so that they can ask questions you may not have the answers to.
6. Decorating the Space
Taking an in-person (or virtual) tour of the event center ahead of time gives you and your team a chance to see the layout of the space. Hold a quick practice run-through to iron out details before the big day. A venue like Midlothian Conference Center understands professionalism with a personal touch, and that’s what you need.
7. Leave Nothing for the Day of the Event
The key to pulling off this stress-free event is not leaving any major components for the day of. Set up the night before if you can. There will be plenty of last-minute details that take your (and your team’s) time such as rounding up the speakers/entertainment etc.
Let the Show Begin
You can do it! Take control of the situation and yourself to pull off a stress-free event. With a list and a team, you can organize a conference that flows smoothly and looks effortless. Don’t worry, and if you need advice on other topics in business and life check out the abundance of articles on tap.
