Making the most of your conference

So here are my tips to help you organise an effective and efficient event.

First things first, you need to ensure you allow enough time to plan for the event.

Research potential dates to see if there are any other events that are taking place on the same day. If this is the case, you may wish to choose a different day to ensure you have the maximum amount of attendees.

Put together a list with deadlines for the tasks which need to be complete before the event and tick off tasks as you go along.

Set a budget and keep a record of all costs and monitor this to ensure you do not exceed your set amount.

When devising a guest list consider the maximum number of guests you want to attend (this will obviously depend on the size of your venue). Most event planners would advise inviting three times your maximum number to achieve the target guest number.

You may also want to consider a theme for your conference, especially if you are targeting a specific group of people, and high profile guest speakers are always a great draw.

Once you’ve confirmed your date, it’s time to look at venues.

This is one of the most important considerations when planning an event or conference. Choose a venue which is spacious, with natural light and can accommodate your maximum amount of guests, as no one wants to be sat in a cramped, dark room all day.

Make sure the conference and meeting space is flexible so that you can accommodate guests both board room or theatre style.

Think of other factors too, such as location. Does the venue have free parking? Is it a commutable distance for most attendees? Does it have good transport links for those who do not drive? Is there accommodation nearby for conferences lasting more than a day? Will you need to send out directions to guests? These all questions which need to be considered before making your decision.

You should also ask the venue whether they have air conditioning or heating available in the room to ensure your guests feel as comfortable as possible.

Another important factor is Wi-Fi connection. Make sure the venue can offer this as many conferences today are interactive and may require attendees to access the internet and there’s nothing more annoying for guests than a bad internet connection.

Most venues will have catering facilities but make sure you find out what food options are available and inform the venue if anyone has dietary requirements. It’s often a nice break for attendees if there is another room available to them for food so perhaps this is an option to enquire about.

It’s always best to feel as organised as possible. Organisation gives you confidence in your preparation and this confidence will reassure both yourself and your audience. Send out email reminders a couple of days before the event. The reminder should contain additional information regarding the dress code, directions to the venue and information about parking. Following this, ensure the venue is up-to-date regarding numbers.

Acquaint yourself with the venue before so you feel comfortable and take note of where things are located, for example AV equipment such as televisions and microphones. Guest speakers should test the audio quality of the microphone as nobody wants to witness a spontaneous one man mime show!

If it is an external event, attendees may be looking to network and build new connections, so make this as easy as possible by creating a seating plan and providing guests with name badges.

Following the event, ensure memorability in a friendly fashion by emailing your guests thanking them for their time and effort and perhaps offer a contact email for any feedback. Hopefully these tips will help you feel calm, comfortable and confident when organising your next conference or event.

Dragon Park is thehome of Welsh Football. As well as world-class training facilities, the venue also has state-of-the-art event and conference facilities which are available to hire.