Planning a conference is a marathon, not a sprint. So, before we get into the specifics of conference planning, grab a cup of tea. Have you gotten settled? Great. Let's go over the basics so you can cross the finish line unscathed. Before deciding how to organize your conference, you must first analyze each key step along the way. Before taking any further action, consider each step, the resources required, and the anticipated burden. You must allow enough time (and labor) to complete all tasks. Giving yourself some wiggle room around deadlines is also a good idea. A great example of a well-structured event was emma raducanu press conference.

Make a strategy for your event.

The objectives of any event, whether it's a one-time academic congress or the 75th annual meeting of a prestigious association, must be described first. The events market is active, and it has become more so as a result of the significant changes that have occurred in the last two years. Spending on events is increasing as more companies recognize the value of live and virtual events to their bottom line and brand. Your conference will stand out from the 200,000 others on the market if you are clear about your objectives from the start. Can you describe the content that your conference attendees want and require? Do you understand what motivates your audience? Do you have a main idea in mind for your event? Your audience's preferences must be considered when deciding whether to go virtual, hybrid, or physical. The foundation of a modern event strategy is selecting the best event format and location for your audience. As a result, ensure that you survey and assess the needs of your conference attendees on a regular basis (or association members). Use this event strategy template to keep your team focused on what is most important.

Accept meeting technology

Online conference software is not an add-on. It should be as important in conference planning as choosing a location or dates. It eliminates many manual tasks, promotes teamwork among your entire staff, and usually results in long-term financial savings. You're all putting in a lot of time and effort to plan a conference, but how can you ensure that your team can share resources and collaborate if you can't all be in the same room? Using free services like Slack for project communications and Skype for group video calls can help you avoid communication issues that slow down the planning process. When it comes to handling the thousand and one tasks involved in planning a conference, software like Asana for project management and Trello for task management can keep you moving forward. To compile and evaluate submissions, create your program, and register attendees, you must also use high-quality conference management software. Most conference software will be prohibitively expensive. We cannot, however, overstate how much time (and anxiety) you will save. Additionally, avoiding the printing fee can frequently result in long-term financial savings. Even if you are planning a physical event, it is a good idea to look for a platform that provides virtual conferencing software. Too many conference planners have witnessed the last-minute conversion of live events to virtual ones. Avoid this by selecting a platform that will protect you if your in-person plans run into unexpected difficulties. Even better if it integrates with your preferred conference management system. Using the checklist in this conference planning ebook, you can select the best conference software for your event.