Your business conference should be a place where your employees and industry partners can discuss new trends and network with each other. Planning the perfect business conference can seem overwhelming at first. Here are five concepts that you should utilize when planning your next business conference to ensure that it’s successful for all that attend.
Pick a Well-Known Keynote Speaker
A great first tip to get you out of the gate and running a successful business conference is to look for a well-known keynote speaker. People choose to attend conferences based on who will be presenting. Give them a reason to come to your conference by having a well-known presenter for them to enjoy.
Set Goals for Your Attendees
There’s nothing worse than attending a conference where everything seems to be out of place. When there’s no direct area of discussion, it can be confusing and your attendees will simply zone out. Instead, opt for setting goals for your attendees. This could be learning about the new trends in the industry, meeting new associates, or learning about new technology.
Plan Some Entertainment
The entire conference doesn’t have to be wholly business-oriented. Especially if attendees are coming from out of town, entertainment in the evening or between presentations is a good relief that allows people to recharge and reset for the next event.
A clean comedian or similar performer can get people laughing and in a good mood to learn. They’ll also be energized afterward. Hiring a comedian will give your guests something fun to talk and laugh about throughout the event.
Include Games
Your attendees don’t want to spend hours on end listening to someone speak. In most cases, this will just result in attendees learning for about the first hour and then zoning out for the rest of it. Instead, you want to throw in small breaks that get people moving. Consider adding in some games for those break periods that will allow attendees to change their attention and clear their minds. Some game examples include icebreaker games, scavenger hunts, and the human telephone.
Have an Agenda
The structure is a necessity for any business conference. This way, attendees feel confident in what they’re going to be doing for the day. When you don’t have a clearly outlined agenda, attendees can feel out of place or overwhelm throughout the day. You should construct an agenda with specific times and distribute it well before the conference date.
Planning a successful business conference doesn’t have to be difficult. Always think from the perspective of your attendees when making decisions about who to have spoken and what to do during the conference. The above five suggestions will ensure that your conference turns out as successful as possible.