Conferences are important educational and networking opportunities for professionals in various fields, especially business, science, and medicine. Planning an effective and enjoyable conference requires you to focus on the major parts and avoid doing too much in a short amount of time.
Hire An Appropriate Keynote Speaker
You may want to kick off your conference or close the event with a special keynote speaker. If you budget allows, you may be in the market for a prominent figure who will excite your attendees. One of the downfalls of choosing someone who is popular and has a recognizable name is they are not always relevant to your conference goal.
Try to narrow your selection to person who is a game-changer in the field. For example, if you are holding a medical conference, look for keynote speakers who made a recent medical discovery, even if they do not have strong name recognition. Although any successful person can speak to the audience about ambition and being triumphant in the face of adversity, the keynote speaker will have more of an impact on attendees if they know what it feels like to be in the lab hunting for the next treatment option.
Avoid Analysis Paralysis
One of the most frustrating aspects of conferences for attendees is when there are many sessions scheduled for the same block of time. If possible, try to have your conference scheduled over multiple days so there are no more than two or three sessions held at the same time. Narrowing the choices will make it easier for attendees to plan their day and not feel like they are missing something important. Another option is to hire a videographer to tape each session so attendees will have a way to watch any sessions they missed later.
Schedule Food And Conversation Time
Although it seems trivial to schedule distinct times for food and conversation, these remain important events at any conference. You want to make sure attendees have sufficient time to grab coffee or other caffeinated beverages and meals between sessions. Additionally, having a larger break between some sessions, will give your attendees time to eat, mingle, and move past the traditional after-lunch sleepiness, before they attend the evening sessions.
Conversations with other attendees can be vital to your conference, because this is often an opportunity for people to network and meet other influencers in their field. The final session of the day should end in the early afternoon to give attendees time for a special evening event, such as dinner or a wine and cheese that is designed to be social.
Finding the right keynote speaker and effective scheduling will make your conference more successful.
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