Knowing how to organise a conference requires plenty of skills.
And, with so many details to consider, it can feel an overwhelming assignment.
At Totally Wicked Stadium, our events team is experienced at helping people understand how to plan a conference that meets their business objectives.
In this article, we’ll share with you step-by-step guidelines that break down the process to make it less daunting.
How to organise a conference checklist
If you’re wondering how to plan a conference event that delivers for your organisation, within your budget and timescale, then this brief checklist for the major stages of event planning should help:
Define your objectives
Before you organise an event, you need to have a clear idea about what you hope to achieve.
Is it to meet new clients, or launch a new product, perhaps you want to network with other professionals and organisations in your field?
Understanding the purpose of your event ensures you have the ultimate goals in mind throughout the planning process.
Determine your budget
A key element in understanding how to plan a conference is setting a realistic budget.
Without a budget in place, costs can soon spiral out of control, or spending decisions might be made that don’t leave much left for other essential elements.
Your budget needs to be realistic, both in terms of what you’re likely to need to spend, and the share it takes of bigger budgets, such as marketing.
Select the venue
Your choice of venue needs to provide the space you require for your event.
It should be accessible for your guests, and have the technology setup you need.
You should also consider whether you will be requiring extra services, such as catering.
Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens provides flexible modern event venue space, from small meeting rooms to large suites with a pitch-side view.
Our location means we’re accessible from Manchester, Liverpool, and Warrington, and across the North West.
Arrange the logistics
You may also need to think about how people will travel to the event, where they will be staying, as well as catering.
If your venue has an experienced events team in place, they can help you take care of some of the practical aspects of your day.
Plan your event content
The key to the success of your event will be the quality of the content you provide.
If you’re booking speakers from outside of the organisation, it’s important to check their availability prior to confirming your dates.
When you’ve decided what you want to include, then you can work out a schedule for your event.
Promote your event
Your objectives for the event will shape how you choose to market and promote it.
If your event audience is largely an internal one, then how it’s promoted is likely to be low key with a well-defined audience in mind.
If you’re looking to attract attendees from across your industry, customers, and beyond, then your marketing will need to be designed to reach them.
Social media channels can provide a great way to reach a wider audience, but traditional methods like direct mail and trade journal advertising shouldn’t be overlooked.
On the day and after
Make sure you have a clear plan in place for the day, with people in place to register attendees, answer questions, and to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
An experienced events team at your venue can assist with ensuring that your conference goes hitch-free.
After the event, you can then evaluate how well it met your initial objectives.
Some of these objectives may take longer to assess, such as increased business or potential new opportunities, so make sure you have realistic measurement criteria in place.
The North West’s leading conference venue
Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens is the first choice for conference organisers across the North West and beyond.
Combining convenience, quality, and outstanding customer service from beginning to end, our experienced team can ensure your event is a success.
With flexible event spaces, plentiful parking, great transport access, and catering options on hand, Totally Wicked Stadium is the perfect venue for your conference.