Common Conference Planning Challenges

 

A successful conference is about more than just booking the venue and sending out the invites. Corporate conference organisers, industry summits, leadership meetings or annual conventions have lots of moving parts. Also ensure a seamless experience for attendees, speakers, sponsors and stakeholders. “You have to plan well and execute seamless from budget and logistics to technology and attendee engagement.

Conference planners face a number of challenges that can affect the success of an event despite months of planning. Organisers can plan to minimise disruption by identifying possible obstacles early. Conference organisers have a number of common challenges and here are some tips on how to deal with these.

Budget Management

The biggest challenge when planning a conference is budgeting. If not well managed, costs like venue hire, catering, audio visual equipment, speaker fees, event branding, travel, accommodation and marketing can easily blow out well above the initial budget.

Good budget & always include the unexpected in your budget. Start planning. Regularly checking spending, getting quotes from different vendors and focusing on essential services allows organisers to stay within budget and still deliver a quality event.

Selecting the Perfect Spot

The venue is a significant element in the attendee's experience narrative. However if the venue is too small it may be overcrowded, and if it is too big the conference may seem under-attended. Then you have to consider things like accessibility, location, transport links, parking, internet access and meeting rooms.

The earlier you reserve the location, the sooner you’ll be able to secure the dates you want, and the more wiggle room you’ll have to negotiate and plan. The venue should be inspected by the organisers before they sign the contract to ensure that it can meet their logistical and technical requirements.

Speakers management

Good speaker management is important, as speakers are often the main draw to conferences. It can be a little tricky working with more than one presenter, especially when you take into account travel schedules, presentation deadlines or last minute cancellations.

Avoid confusion by regular contact with the speaker, collecting presentations in advance and having a dedicated speaker co-ordinator. Also, have backup speakers or other plans for sessions if there are any unforeseen changes that may affect the agenda of the conference.

Check-in control and registration

The registration and check in is the first impression attendees get of the event. Long queues, forms and complicated registration processes can be frustrating and the conference has not even begun yet.

Digital registration systems have changed the way attendees register online, receive QR codes and check in within seconds using self-service kiosks or mobile devices. Those technologies are making things more efficient, lessening the waiting time and providing the organisers with accurate information about the attendees.

Solving technical problems

Technology is just one of those must-haves these days for conferences – from live presentations and LED screens to virtual participation platforms and mobile event apps. The sessions are very vulnerable to technical problems such as bad internet connections, poor microphones, software glitches or streaming issues.

Organisers can mitigate these risks by holding technical rehearsals before the event, hiring professional audio visual specialists and having back-up equipment available. The technical support team will be available to react immediately to any issues that may occur during the conference.

Engage your audience

Speaking full day or multi-day conferences, it’s becoming harder and harder to capture and keep your attendee’s attention. But if you give long presentations without much interaction, people lose focus and remember less.

Formats that promote interaction are panel discussions, polls, Q&A, workshops and networking activities. Mobile event apps can also help to drive engagement with live updates, session reminders, surveys and interactive features that keep attendees engaged throughout the event.

Needs of the sponsor

Sponsors make conferences possible with their dollars and sponsors want real value and opportunities to connect with attendees. If sponsorship benefits are not well managed, or if the benefits do not deliver the promised visibility, it can impact on future partnerships.

We offer transparent sponsorship packages, branded event space and digital promotion and exhibition opportunities to demonstrate value to sponsors with post event performance reports. Frequent communication during the planning process develops long term relationships.

Dealing with last minute changes

Unforeseen problems will crop up in conference planning and there is no way to avoid that. Emergencies can occur just before a critical session, causing last-minute speaker cancellations, flight delays, vendor logistical issues and equipment malfunctions.

Good organisers have back up plans up their sleeves long before such eventualities. Should any issues arise, we have contingency plans in place with backup suppliers, speakers, flexible scheduling and emergency communication protocols to ensure the event can proceed with little disruption.

Driving attendance and registrations

A common problem is to find the right audience. No matter how well planned your conference is, if marketing can’t bring in registrations, your conference is a flop.

Email marketing, Social media marketing, Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, Industry partnerships, Early bird specials, Referral programmes. Overall promotion strategy will be to communicate early and often to create excitement and increase attendance.

CONSTRUCTING A NETWORK OF VALUES

One of the biggest advantages of conferences for professionals is the chance to network. But you can't just put people together and expect them to do something that matters. But it can be hard to find the right people without a structured opportunity.

The organisers offer networking opportunities through dedicated networking sessions, round table discussions, matchmaking platforms, coffee breaks and networking lounges. Conference & Networking Mobile Event Apps Assist Attendees in Scheduling Meetings for the Conference & Networking Experience.

Working with several suppliers

When you do a conference, you generally deal with a lot of vendors: caterers, decorators, photographers, AV, transportation companies, printers, security, etc. Poor communication with vendors results in delays, miscommunication and operational issues.

Here, detailed timelines, clear responsibilities and regular coordination meetings make the difference – each vendor knows what they’re doing. Event management software facilitates collaboration by serving as a central hub for sharing schedules, updates, and tracking tasks.

Impact evaluation of a conference

The work continues after the conference. It is important to evaluate the performance of the event so as to identify its strengths and weaknesses.

The key metrics organisers need to track are attendance, audience engagement, session popularity, sponsor satisfaction, social media reach and ROI. Post-event surveys are a great way to get feedback from attendees, but they also provide some great insights that can help improve future conferences and deliver an even better experience.

To complete

The organisation of a conference is a complex task which requires careful coordination, strategic planning and flexibility in the face of changing circumstances. The planning process presents organisers with many challenges, such as managing the budget, selecting the venue, coordinating the speakers, managing the technology, and engaging the attendees.

But the challenges can be managed with smart planning, good communication and savvy use of event technology. Have contingency plans and be prepared for surprises so your conferences are successful and memorable for your guests, sponsors and stakeholders.