1. Never lose sight of the goal.
It is important to remember the reason for holding the conference. What are you hoping to achieve through the conference? Your aim could be to come to an agreement, exchange ideas and information, coordinate different aspects of a project, inform staff and clients of progress, launch an initiative or product, build interest and morale in a project, or solve a problem.
2. Fix your budget and stick to it.
Nothing can be done without money. Decide early on how much money you have available to spend and how much you can hope to earn from attendance fees, etc. Speakers, publicity, conference venues and refreshments will all have to be covered by the budget, so be realistic about what you can spend and stick to the budget.
3. Choose a time, date and place for the conference well in advance.
The more notice you give prospective speakers and attendees of the conference, the greater the chances are that everyone you wish to come will attend.
4. Give the conference a theme and a title to highlight your goal.
A theme and an umbrella title that encompasses the objectives of the conference will help to give the conference a focus. Invite keynote speakers to talk specifically on the theme so as to inspire debate and discussion that can move the project forward in the direction indicated.
5. Promote the conference.
Whether it is a small meeting of minds in the workplace or a large international conference, the more people who know about it, the more people will come. Posters in the workplace, use of the Internet and social media, and personalised emails and letters will all help to remind potential attendees of the conference and what to expect from it.
6. Check the venue and the facilities beforehand.
There’s nothing worse than arriving at the conference venue on the day to find that some vital piece of equipment has been forgotten or is not working. Coordinate with the venue and insist on being able to check the preparations the day before while you still have time to iron out those last-minute problems.
