Hosting a conference can have several benefits for businesses, from establishing your business as a thought leader in your industry, and increasing brand visibility and exposure, to creating leads, and building relationships. However, the event itself is a direct representation of your business, and this can be either good or bad depending on the level of thought and preparation you’ve put in. Whether you’re hosting your first conference or you’ve been hosting conferences for years, it’s only natural that you strive for perfection. For businesses that want to create a positive experience, understanding how to host a conference is key. 

We will be sharing how to host a conference from the initial planning stages to logistics, management during the event, and post-event learning opportunities. Learn everything you need to know to have a successful event, whether that’s generating leads, opening the door for new business partnerships, or increasing brand visibility.

Everything You Need To Know About Hosting A Conference

From planning the purpose of your event to ensuring that there is enough space for all attendees and that the event is a memorable one, here’s what you need to know about hosting a conference.

Planning 

Before you think about time, date, and venue, first you must decide on the type of conference you’d like to host. From defining the goals and objectives of your conference to choosing a theme or planning the highlights of the event, you need to ensure that you’re creating an event that brings value to attendees. If you plan on making the event educational, consider the types of speakers you’d like to have, what knowledge and experience they can offer, and how you can plan the conference to allow attendees to go away having learnt something. 

Once you understand the type of conference you want to host, consider where you want to host it. Determine where your attendees live, if they’re willing to travel extensively to attend, and if your proposed venue is accessible. Additionally, you might also think about hosting a hybrid event that combines the in-person event with a live stream of the conference and gives remote attendees the chance to engage and interact with speakers and other attendees. When a location is chosen, you should consider when you’d like to host the event. Whilst this may seem like an easy answer, you may need to coordinate with speakers to determine availability, if there are other events taking place that might reduce the number of attendees, or if it’s a time that is manageable from a logistic point of view. 

Depending on the type of conference you’d like to host, consider the speakers themselves, the schedule of the event, and what you’d like to include, from speeches to Q&As, to an opportunity to network. Another consideration you might have is how you plan on promoting the event, whether it’s paid advertisement, sponsorship, or word of mouth through industry channels.

Logistics

Whether you’re planning on hosting a small, niche event, or a large multi-day conference, hiring an event manager who has experience hosting a conference can be the difference between a successful event and failure. From organising transport and accommodation for out-of-town speakers to deciding on catering, ensuring all the equipment is working, and that the registration is as easy as possible, the knowledge and experience of an event manager can ensure everything is coordinated.

There’ll likely be some obstacles and speed bumps along the way, which is why an event manager is invaluable, as they need to be able to foresee and troubleshoot potential issues as they arise, to ensure the event isn’t disrupted. Additionally, they may be able to save you money through skilled negotiation for the venue, catering, as well as any equipment that might be needed that isn’t included at the venue. 

Event

On the day of the conference, all your hard work and planning will come to fruition. Some unforeseen circumstances may likely arise, but you mustn’t let them affect the experience of attendees. From personalised touches, such as name badges, welcome messages, and making introductions, a warm welcome can go a long way. Allowing the conference to ebb and flow can make the event more enjoyable, and although you can factor in a buffer between events, it’s important that you stick to the schedule, and include designated breaks, Q&A sessions, and an opportunity to network. 

If you are hosting a hybrid conference, ensure that you get virtual attendees involved, whether that’s through panel discussions, Q&A sessions, or networking breaks. Having a skilled moderator facilitate panel discussions, manage Q&A sessions, and transition between in-person and virtual conversations can help to make your conference a success. However, it’s essential that they are well-versed in the conference theme and objectives, and that they are capable of steering conversations and maintaining the flow of the conference. 

Learning Opportunities

Once the event concludes, the conference shouldn’t end. Post-conference activities can help to guarantee that your next event is an even greater success. From gathering feedback to understand what worked well and areas for improvement, to organising additional meetups, there is an opportunity to learn and to continue adding value. Additionally, post-conference, you can look to analyse the metrics of the event such as attendance, revenue, and other key performance indicators, as well as metrics from interactive tools and sessions involving virtual attendees. 

Hosting a successful conference takes a lot of preparation, however with the help of the right team, it does not need to be difficult. If you are planning on hosting a conference, get in touch with the Christie Spaces team today for more information, to get a quote, or to make a booking. In addition to our professional conference centres, our experienced team can offer support to ensure your conference is a success. 

Additionally, we offer hot desks to part-time offices, short-term offices, and private offices, as well as meeting rooms, training rooms, and virtual offices, that can be used before or after your events.