For many, planning an event comes down to execution and proper planning. Having a smooth experience with everything from scheduling your event and booking your venue to hiring caterers and hosting guest speakers can be difficult to achieve. However, there are some strategies that, if taken advantage of, can really optimize your conference planning experience.
Get Ahead
Sooner is always better when planning a conference. Lots of road blocks can appear out of nowhere, so it is essential to make sure you have enough time to take care of them and find solutions. It is recommended that you give you or your company anywhere from 3-6 months’ notice when scheduling. This is an ample amount of time to ensure everything runs well and doesn’t get derailed by any hiccups in the way.
Communicate
Communication is key, most important is getting everyone on the same page. This involves making sure that your attendees know how, when, and where the conference is taking place. One way to make sure this happen is to create email blasts for those attending. These email blasts should include when and where the conference is, an explanation of why the event is being held, and a call to action for why they should attend. The key is to find ways to create anticipation in your delivery. You want those attending to be excited for the conference well before the actual event
Plan for Everything
When we attend conferences as an invitee and not as a planner, it’s easy to lose sight of all the work that went into planning the conference. And as someone who is merely attending it is easy to think that anyone could prepare one of these large-scale conferences. The answer to that, however, is that it is rare that, while planning a conference, everything goes one hundred percent as planned. It is essential to have a backup plan. These plans can include anything from having a backup caterer to having a few volunteers on hand at the venue to help out in case of planning emergencies.
Taking on the task of scheduling a conference is tall one. Not everyone wants to take on this job! If you find yourself in this role, be sure to remember each of these tips. Get ahead of the game and begin planning 3-6 months prior, communicate actively with everyone involved, and have backup plans for when the unexpected happens. Lastly, be sure to create a committee to be a part of your planning team this will help break up the work and reduce the stress on yourself. If you follow these steps in planning your conference will be done with ease!
If you’re ready to tackle planning your organization’s next event, contact us today! Here at the Conference Center at GTCC, our dedicated event planners work to make your life easier, serving as a single point of contact across each step of the process. Learn more about us or schedule a tour today!
