Planning your event

Organising a conference may be likened to running a marathon.

If planning it yourself, you’ll need to first think through every step along the way, or you could leave it in the hands of an expert. Many venues have staff with high-level organisational skills so make use of them where you can.

Allow plenty of time for yourself or your event planner to deal with the workload. The first step is to formulate your conference strategy and determine what you’re hoping to achieve. Establishing clear objectives at the outset of conference planning is crucial.

Think about the expectations of those attending so the event will resonate with them. Identifying what your audience wants is vital to the decision to go virtual, hybrid, or physical.

The structure of your event will be influenced by the team you have. For instance, a small team may require each member to handle multiple areas. Conversely, a larger team allows for assigning individual responsibilities such as sponsorship, marketing, and local arrangements. Delegation is the key here.

Choose your team carefully. Look for enthusiastic, organised and driven team players. To avoid death by committee, make sure everyone’s clear on who’s responsible for what. If you’re not an events pro, and it’s your first time organising a conference, consider getting help from a professional conference or event organiser.