How to Plan a Successful Conference in 2022

Planning a conference is quite an undertaking. This blog will take you through some of the key considerations that you need to take into account when organising a conference. Before we jump into it, can we just stress how important it is to plan early? That’s half the battle right there. If you’ve planned well in advance, you can look forward to the conference without panicking about its looming deadline.

Some parts of the conference planning can be taken out of your hands to alleviate some of the burden. The AV side of things for instance. Red Occasions can handle the AV for you and are highly experienced in audio visual conference production in Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Bedford and the surrounding area.

Let’s get into the key points to consider when conference planning:

Strategy
A good starting point is to hash out your strategy. What do you want your event to achieve? What do you want your guests to learn? What do you want your attendees to take away from the event? Strategy should be your first consideration. You need to give your conference a name, know your target audience and pick a relevant theme. And make a concise plan for your budgets. You may need accounting in milton Keynes that can provide you expense sheet.

Venue
Choosing the right venue is one of the most important factors when planning a conference. Will there be enough room for your audience? Is there ample parking available? Is the location easily accessible for your attendees? You need to check what type of AV equipment the venue provides. If it doesn’t have any, you may need to hire this out or employ an AV production company. Red Occasions offer both audio visual equipment hire and AV event production services.

Brief & Agenda
Get the date and time of your event set in stone early on. it’s a big feat to organise a conference single-handedly, so decide who is helping out and delegate out the responsibilities. Write up an agenda to ensure your conference stays on track and everyone knows what will happen throughout the day.

Budget
Costs can creep up quickly when you’re organising a conference. Establish a budget early on and stick to it. You need to consider the cost of the venue, AV, staff, catering and décor. Conferences aren’t about making a profit but you’ll want to at least break even. Consider getting sponsors to fund your event, in order to reduce or remove the ticket fee.

Speakers
Find a speaker that is experienced, highly rated and that will really resonate with your audience. Be prepared for the cost and keep your budget in mind. Book them as far in advance as possible and that’s one thing you can tick off your to-do list.

Technology
If technology web design in Milton Keynes and It support services is not your forte, hire professionals but for this aspect of the production. It will take some of the responsibility out of your hands and you can feel assured that everything will run smoothly. Red Occasions provide conference audio visual production or you can hire AV equipment from us.

Catering
Ensuring your attendees are well fed and watered is crucial to keeping them engaged and happy. The last thing you want is for them to lose interest because they’re desperate for a cup of tea. Check the dietary requirements of your guests and make sure they’re being catered for.

Hybrid Event
Have you considered making the conference a hybrid event? It’s a great way to increase attendance. A professional AV company can help you to make your event successful for both in-person attendees and those connecting virtually via streaming. Red Occasions are highly experienced in providing hybrid and virtual events.

Promote your Event
If it’s not a company conference you’re organising, you need to make sure you’re promoting your event in order to sell tickets. Create a buzz around it by frequently posting on social media.

Decoration
You need to set the scene for your event. You can hire event decoration from Red Occasions. We can provide event draping, backdrops, red carpet and LED furniture. We can also supply the staging for the conference.

Post Event Feedback
The conference is done and dusted – phew! Make sure you get some feedback on how the event went, so you know if it was successful or not. Were the speakers engaging? Was the venue easy to get to? Did the audience enjoy the day? All of this feedback is crucial for future event planning.

Conference planning is quite involved. If you want to make your life easier, consider hiring a company to help with aspects like AV equipment. Red Occasions can support with audio visual conference production in Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Bedford or beyond. You can hire audio-visual equipment from us and we can provide you with AV advice.