Conference Planning

If you’re considering hosting a conference, we say go for it — it’s an amazing way to offer professional development to your community, provide them with networking opportunities, and grow your own presence in your industry.

Every successful conference starts with a well-thought out plan. That’s why in today’s post, we’ll be going over everything you need to know to plan your best conference. From finding a venue to hosting your post-mortem meeting, we’ll cover every step.

Looking for a checklist you can use for your conference planning?

What’s a Good Conference Plan?

A good conference plan is detailed, yet highly organized and easy to follow. It includes clear goals, milestones, and timelines for achieving them. It covers everything you need to do before, during, and after the conference.

Most importantly, creating a conference plan is not a one-and-done activity — it’s a collaborative effort that needs to be regularly reviewed and updated as necessary.

Before You Start Planning

Before you actually start planning your conference, there are a few essential decisions you need to make and tasks you need to complete:

1. Assemble a Team

Who will be involved in organizing this conference? Who will be responsible for what? If you don’t have enough staff members who can dedicate their time to planning this conference, can you assemble a volunteer committee?

2. Set Objectives

What are you hoping to achieve with this conference? How many attendees, new contacts, or new members are you hoping to gain? How much revenue are you looking to generate?

3. Identify Your Target Audience

Who is this conference for? Who would be interested in attending and what would they gain from it? Answering these questions will help you better promote your conference and attract the right kind of ticket buyers.

4. Come Up With a Theme and Format

Your conference doesn’t necessarily have to have a theme but it can help you tie everything together and put on a cohesive event. Your theme can be seasonal, related to a current trend, or the general landscape within your industry.

Also think about the format of your conference. Will it be in-person, virtual, or hybrid? How many days will it last and how many sessions will you offer?

5. Develop a Budget

How much money do you have to spend on this conference? Will you be looking to offset some of your costs with sponsorships? Where can you save money and where do you need to spend a bit more? (For example, a great keynote speaker will be well worth the cost.)

How To Keep Your Team Motivated When Planning a Conference

Planning a conference is a big undertaking and can often last an entire year. Your planning committee might feel overwhelmed, stressed, or even burned out by the process. Here are a few tips to help make sure that doesn’t happen:

• Give everyone clear jobs and set expectations
• Set lots of manageable mini-goals and assign mini-tasks
• Regularly remind your team about your mission and vision, as well as your objectives for this conference
• Share wins and celebrate even the smallest achievements in the planning process
• Maintain open communication and make sure your team knows that they can ask for help and guidance at any time