Organising a conference or event can often feel like riding a rollercoaster. Chances are you’ll be hanging on to your event brief for dear life, whilst navigating building costs and responsibilities, all set to tip you off course at any point.
Although event and conference planning is not as scary, it can however be a bumpy ride with plenty of ups and downs. Because of this, The Imperial Hotel, Blackpool has put together some guidelines to ensure you are prepared for any event!
Smooth preparation at the early stage is key. There are some significant questions that need answering.
1 What is the objective of your conference/event? This is the WHY you are holding it
2 What are your KPI’S? how will you measure your success
3 What is your budget? If it’s not your responsibility, get this clarified now!
Once you have answered these questions you should consider who else is involved in the planning. Be that a committee, group of colleagues or just you. Start to assign who is responsible for what and then put a time line on it! Surrounding yourself with a good team will help you carry out the different tasks more efficiently without being overwhelmed. It will also allow you to focus on the main aim of the occasion.
Time lines are great, having a date to work towards keeps everyone on track.
Next consider your venue. The aim of your event, may determine the location and venue. Maximise the amount of delegate attendance for your conference or event by choosing a venue with ease of access. Within an hour of a major airport, close to or on a main line rail route and easily accessible by road. For the later, ample car parking is always a selling point, especially if it’s free for attendees!
Conference and event rooms are available in a variety of sizes. You need to go for the right size, not too small to cause discomfort or too big to make it look like half the delegates failed to turn up. For you to make the right choice, confirm the number of delegates expected to attend and the types of equipment to be used. A good venue event manager will be able to place you in the correct meeting room.
Look for a venue that reflects some element of either you, your company profile or the objective of the occasion. Do your research, look on social media, often venues post about other events and customers comment on events, this will give you a good idea of what that venue is about.
If the event is going to run for a couple of days or overnight, consider getting comfortable accommodation for your delegates. You don’t necessarily have to cover the costs of this for every attendee, but hosting your occasion in a hotel, with an abundance of rooms available, will make life easier for those attending.
Using a conference hotel has many benefits including experienced support staff. The Imperial hotel, Blackpool has so much to offer that will make planning your conference or event seamless.
