Whenever we talk about any corporate conference or event, you know that it comes in different flavors and sizes, like a 2-day national seminar on fitness for working professionals, a one-day conference for sales leadership, etc. Whatever the theme of any conference or event, its success majorly depends upon a planner or HR personnel who planned early and managed it effectively for its success.
In any company, HR professionals search for tricks to implement the right strategies and undertake their to-dos. Being an HR professional if are you looking for ways to make the most of your conference, without headaches, have a look at these best conference or event planning tips. Use these mind-blowing tips to make your next corporate or business meeting the best one ever.
1. Decide a Suitable Date
The first and most important step is fixing a suitable date when your corporate conference or any training event will take place. Studies show that any conference having more than 200 participants must last for 2 full working days. However, here are a few great rules to keep in mind:
- Never choose any date that conflict with other major events like festivals. Plus, the date must not compete for attention with other national or regional big events.
- Always keep away from any seasonal holiday periods when most people be inclined to go on vacation.
- If you think of planning a conference during the weekend then it is one of the biggest blunders. For most professionals or participants, attending any event is going to be a part of their job, so ensure to schedule it during weekdays.
Setting a date is always beneficial to better plan your preparations.
2. Assign Tasks & Schedule everything
Who is going to be in charge of organizing this conference? Can you form a volunteer committee if you don’t have enough employees to plan the meeting? Make sure you know all the answers correctly and distribute tasks accordingly. Plus, make a detailed master schedule and meeting notes that can be followed by everyone involved, including speakers, your team, venue staff, suppliers, and volunteers. Also, keep your letterhead short and crisp. Identify the people who need to be contacted in an emergency and provide their contact information.
3. Make sure to give a Suitable Theme
Choosing a proper theme is also a vital aspect of event or conference planning. Have a clear answer to why all participants are gathering. Do you aim to talk about a new sales or marketing strategy? Will the company be set to introduce a new policy manual that every employee must understand? Do everything to ensure that the get-together has a lasting tone. Inform your team about everything so that they can prepare well.
4. Build some Hype
Take the help of professionals for creating a strategy and marketing your event exceptionally well. If required, then do not miss to include sending good engaging messages through PR, online content, or even running an email campaign. Build a strategy on information and content you’re going to distribute, how, when, and to whom. You can:
- Submit & Circulate interviews, blog posts, images of right fonts, speaker announcements, etc. on your corporate website to generate some excitement.
- Get some influencers into the conversation on social media by using the right hashtag for your event or conference.
- Ensure to run promotional campaigns to catch late registrations if required. T-shirts are classic promotional gifts because they are both practical and inexpensive. They are the perfect pitch to use for catching those late registrations. Custom iron-ons can help to take your T-shirt advertising to the next level by adding a personal touch. Iron-ons are available in a wide range of designs, so you can find one that matches your brand identity. They are also easy to apply, so you can quickly add them to a shirt before giving it away. Best of all, iron-ons are durable, so your logo will continue to look great wash after wash. When it comes to promotional T-shirts, custom iron ons can help you create a shirt that really stands out from the crowd.
5. Plan your Agenda
Planning an event agenda may look very easy, but it is the most complicated part of the conference or event planning process, as per the duration of the event and the ratio of participants expected to be present in the event.
- Opening address: Any event is not possible with an opening address as it helps in creating the right pace. Welcoming the participants to the event’s key point.
- Communication agenda: The agenda must be designed in such a way that you can keep the right track of starting and ending times of the conference along with meal times, plus a complete timetable of general breaks.
- Plan time in blocks: Make sure you plan the time in either 1 or 2-hour blocks because there has to be decent time on a particular topic to make some progress.
6. Plan your Budget
Plan and create a detailed budget that includes everything you intend to do for your next big event. It is the most accurate method of estimating your budget requirements. Sticking to your budget once you’ve decided on one is best.
Don’t be anxious if some strange fees appear out of nowhere. It is always possible to change plans at the last minute. You must make provisions in your budget for this type of unexpected expense. Thus, you must be aware of where you are spending your money.
Here are some of the most common items you want to count and budget for:
- Venue for Conference
- Logistics & Transportation
- Catering
- Marketing
- Speakers
7. Make use of Technology
Every element of your event, from the sound system to the lighting, needs to be taken care of. Simply put, there is no room for sloppiness or cheapness here. A professional should supply and manage all technical aspects of your event. For instance, if you need to present the company’s annual report at the meeting, you will need a projector, lighting, and a sound system. Make sure you choose a simple yet attractive annual report template for the purpose. Adding to that, you have event management software and apps that help you manage everything and enhance the appeal of workshops. To streamline the intricate details of your conference, incorporating a robust venue and event management system is key, ensuring that every aspect from lighting to guest check-ins is flawlessly orchestrated.
Conclusion
Thus, you have now at least some basic ideas for planning or hosting a successful conference or corporate event. Consider these 7 vital pointers as a checklist that can help you plan the most necessary components for a conference that can go well without a problem.