Planning a successful conference is a big undertaking! We’ve laid out some of our top conference-planning tips, suggested by our experienced in-house event planners, to help you plan a conference that’s sure to impress your attendees and help you forge lasting relationships.
Book the Right Venue
Booking the right venue for your conference is key. Ask yourself who will be attending your conference and what would draw them to attending. Choosing the venue that’s right for you means matching your venue to the type of event you plan to host, i.e. casual vs. formal, business vs. leisure, etc.
Establish who your target audience is, develop a budget, and create a theme and format to make your conference cohesive. Think about keynote speakers, networking opportunities, and practical considerations like food, accommodations, and leisure activities.
At Vintage Hotels, we have 47 different venues to choose from, from small, intimate gatherings to large conferences of up to 400 people. Our culinary team is pleased to cater a menu to your event, and our award-winning accommodations are attractive to any potential conference attendee.
Prioritize Sessions and Events
Next, identify which sessions and events are critical to your conference. What are you hoping to accomplish with your conference, and what events would help you best achieve your goals? How many attendees do you hope to attract? How many leads or sales are you hoping to generate?
These guiding questions will help you identify the most important sessions and events in your conference. Once you’ve established your answers, you can more easily navigate the task of finding appropriate and desirable keynote speakers, planning networking sessions, and putting together discussion panels.
Manage Your Time
Managing your time effectively is crucial to making your next conference a success. Many company leaders want to schedule as many events as possible. While we understand the impulse to try to cram in every bit of value you can into your conferences, you often end up overwhelming your attendees and leaving little time for questions, networking, and sharing.
For the most effective conference agenda, try not to overload the day with too many events, instead encouraging your attendees to ask questions, hold discussions, and connect with others in your industry.
Schedule Networking Opportunities
Perhaps the most important goal of conferences is networking. Conferences can help forge lasting business relationships between attendees, speakers, and professionals in adjacent industries.
To foster these powerful, important connections, you should bake plenty of networking opportunities into your conference. Discussion panels, Q&As, and social events are excellent ways to create an environment that’s conducive to networking.
Book Your Next Conference with Experienced Planners at Vintage Hotels
If all this talk of event planning has you overwhelmed, you’re not alone! Planning a conference can be a stressful task, but the results from a successful event are well worth it. Thankfully, our experienced event planners are here to lend a hand! Contact us today to get started on making your next conference a resounding success.