Don't be overwhelmed if you are asked to plan a conference, I'm here to help by sharing my first-hand experiences with you!
A lot of planning happens before your conference can begin to take shape, so set up a timeline or calendar of events which can guide you through each step. It should span a good length of time prior to the conference and I suggest at least 12 months.
You should select your dates and conference venue first. Ensure that the dates you choose do not conflict with other major conferences or events that would be of interest to your audience.
Next, choose the accommodations for the meetings and guests. (This task can help give your conference a reality it didn’t have before.)
Then with your timeline in place, it is time to tackle the events of my last post in which I summarized the three main steps of planning a conference: identify the objectives of the business, define the audience and the audience objectives, and determine a key message. The next steps include implementing strategies that will identify
- Media channels and their objectives
- Sources of information for a factual base of the key message
- Communication strategies
- Visual support
After developing and settling on a key message, you will need to address how you plan on getting that message to your audience. Initially, you should brainstorm and determine what media channels are available for you to use. Here are a few examples:
- Television
- Radio
- Newspaper
- News media (from press releases)
- Brochures
- Special event exhibition
- Direct mail campaign
- Internet sites with target market hits
As with any effective marketing, you need to research your audience. The media that you choose need to be laser-focused on your target market; otherwise, you may be wasting your marketing budget on ineffective channels for your event. Find out which stations they are watching, listening to and reading; and what types of messages have had the most effect on them. Once you have answered those questions, it should be relatively easy to decide on the most effective media outlet to use. At this point you should also create a Web site to contain static conference information and a registration link. Include information concerning travel options, hotel reservations, agenda, etc.
Next, consider again your message to determine if it could be strengthened with some “backing” from an industry expert. Could input from some experts clarify and/or give it more substance? Do some more research to find and consider what they have to say, and utilize it to fortify your key message and make it as powerful as possible.
Now it’s time to get the word out. You have developed and strengthened your key message and defined the channels that will carry the message. As with any communiqué, there can and will be noise in between your message and your receiver. Thus, you must find ways to overcome the noise to reach and/or catch your audience. Visual media can be a good communication strategy. These can be photographs, graphs, videos or even artwork; and the images should illustrate and accurately convey the feeling of or central theme of your written materials. Don’t forget to utilize your personal networking contacts to find and encourage people to attend your conference. Keep up regular e-mails reminding attendees and potential attendees about the upcoming conference.
By knowing your audience and planning well, your event should have a minimal amount of mishaps (because there are always some); but any good event planner will take note of the troubles in one event and incorporate the experience into the planning for the next one.
Happy planning!