How can a yearly conference be a project

What makes for a successful conference year?

JANET H. POTVIN Abstract-Holding a successful conference year.after year consti- tutes a hallmark of excellence for a professional society. While many factors contribute to the success of such a meeting, a key factor is careful planning and organization.

How to organize an annual conference?

POTVIN: PLANNING AND ORGANIZING AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE ments should be made for a hospitality room to serve as a meeting place and a departure point for events. Provisions should be made for refreshments in the hospitality room. Area maps, brochures of local attractions, lists of restau- rants, and sample menus can also be provided.

How long does it take to plan a conference?

Quite a task! You should start planning the conference at least six months prior to the date. (For larger conference, the planning might start a year in advance.) You’ll be keeping track of a lot of moving parts.

What should be included in the program planning for a conference?

Part of the program planning must concern whether to in- clude a spouses’ or family program in conjunction with the conference and whether to include sightseeing or profes- sional tours. If spouses and families are encouraged to attend, a program should be arranged for them.

Why is it important to plan a conference?

What is a conference meeting?

How to make sure a conference venue is appropriate?

How to maximize attendance?

Why do people hold conferences?

What is an unconference?

What is the purpose of a seminar?

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How do you plan an annual conference?

Here’s a conference planning guide full of tips to keep you and your team on track:Make sure the venue aligns with the event. … Give every attendee a leg up on networking. … Build a detailed content plan with unique takeaways. … Create your conference marketing tree. … Spare yourself the most common conference planning headaches.More items…

What are the different types of conference?

1.1 Different types of conferenceTypeExamplesConferenceAnnual Conference of the Society for French Studies Biennial Conference of the Society for Italian StudiesSymposiumSpanish and Portuguese Studies Postgraduate SymposiumSeminarIGRS: From Textual to Visual Departmental Research Seminar (Italian, UCL)3 more rows

What makes a successful conference?

Comfortable rooms, high quality equipment, ease of access, transport to and from (i.e. hotels and venue) are the first things that come to mind when we think of a successful conference venue.

How do you make a conference unique?

10 Ways To Make Your Conferences InterestingIce Breaker Sessions. Most attendees feel awkward when they are in a room full of strangers. … Make it Interactive. … Emcee To The Rescue. … Storytelling To Grab Attention. … Breakout Sessions. … Video Montages. … World Cafe Discussions. … Props Over PowerPoint.More items…•

What is the difference between a conference and a meeting?

While a meeting is less formal, it is important for a conference to be more formal. This is because a conference is on a larger scale and pre-planned to allow the maximum number of people to attend. The reason for this is usually that a conference is based around a specific subject.

What are the objectives of a conference?

Conference objectivesIntegration of the scientific community and practitioners involved in different areas of finance.Presentation of the latest research results in the field of finance.Exchange of ideas and experience of the research and work in financial institutions.More items…

What are the elements for a good conference?

Key Elements of a Good MeetingKnowledge of Your Audience. … Valuable Subject Matter. … Room and Equipment Assessment. … Agenda Organization Planning. … Prepping the Speakers. … Communication With Attendees. … Use of Helpful Visuals. … Rehearsal of Your Presentation.More items…

How do you run effective conferences?

An important aspect of running effective meetings is insisting that everyone respects the time allotted. Start the meeting on time, do not spend time recapping for latecomers, and, when you can, finish on time. Whatever can be done outside the meeting time should be.

What is conference planning?

Conference planning and management refers to the planning and execution of these four subcategories of events and is a highly complicated and detail-oriented process that can take anywhere from two weeks to a year or more, depending on the skill set of the organizer and volume/content of the conference.

How can I make my conference more interactive?

But I have a few interaction tips that you can easily implement at your next conference and increase knowledge building of your delegates.Hire a professional moderator. … Leave space for Q&A. … Leverage technology to crowd-source questions. … Prepare your speakers. … Offer interactive alternatives.More items…•

How do you make a conference session interactive?

Here are 4 ways to engage your audience and offer more interactive conference sessions.Structured networking sessions: Networking is often the number one reason people attend conferences and annual events. … Round table discussions: … Live polling: … Gamification:

How do you make a conference not boring?

The thing is, meetings don’t have to be boring….Learn how to avoid a boring meeting with these five tips.Use laughter. … Walk instead of sit. … Only talk about what’s necessary. … Bring goodies to share. … Skip your meeting altogether.

How to make a conference plan?

Step 1: Craft a Vision of Your Conference. Every event begins with a vision, but you’ll need to transform your vision into words and numbers in order to measure costs and make informed planning decisions. First, you need to start with the event planning basics like who, what, when, where and why.

What is the reality of planning a conference?

The reality of planning a conference is that, without any experience, you can lose a lot of time over-thinking each little detail while overlooking more important issues.

How long does it take to organize a conference?

The entire process can take a couple of years depending on the size of the group, but it is conceivable to launch a successful conference in a single year if you can make swift decisions.

What is a conference floor?

Conferences typically feature an exhibition area or convention floor where sponsors and vendors rent space to promote their products. This can be a very lucrative opportunity for your conference if you organize everything well. Keep in mind though that an exhibition area will require a significant commitment of both time and resources, so make sure you are prepared to manage the needs of multiple vendors before you commit to this format.

How to shop for a conference venue?

After you have a more specific idea about when your conference will take place and how many people you want to attend, you can then begin to shop for an appropriate venue. Keep in mind that your venue selection will also determine your catering and audio/visual costs. This is because most conference centers and event hotels require you to use their in-house services for any on-site events.

Why is attendance important in conferences?

Even the most popular conferences must effectively market their event to fill every seat in the house. Attendance is the single most important factor to the success of your event. Good attendance numbers bring revenue and sponsorship opportunities.

Do conference centers require overnight accommodations?

This is because most conference centers and event hotels require you to use their in-house services for any on-site events. Most conferences will need to provide some sort of overnight accommodations for guests traveling from outside the region.

How long does a conference last?

You also need to find out how long the conference will last. Industry consensus suggests that a conference with around 300 participants calls for two full days. Larger, more in-depth conferences may stretch for even longer.

Why is it important to have a budget for a conference?

Having a budget will also help you set the price for participating in the conference. Here are the most common items you’ll want to budget for:

How to promote conference offline?

Promoting your conference offline? You want to make a high-quality booklet with the conference agenda and a visible link to your website or the ticketing site.

Why do you need a speaker lineup?

Your speakers are the stars of your conference. You want a solid lineup in order to attract attendees and guarantee a professional experience .

What to do if your conference isn’t free?

If your conference isn’t free to attend, you’ll want to settle on the right price. On the one hand, the conference fees should help cover your costs. On the other hand, you don’t want to price interested attendees out and end up with a half-booked conference.

What is the main objective of a conference?

Remember that the conference’s main objective is to inspire people and expand their horizons. You can’t do that without an understanding of your attendees.

What is the best theme for a conference?

The best themes are catchy, relatable, and trigger an emotional response. You want the conference to inspire and stimulate conversation. Your theme has to enable that.

What is required to plan a conference?

Updated August 22, 2019. Planning a conference requires a skill set that includes incredible organizational skills, the ability to multitask, energy, creativity, business savviness, interpersonal skills and attention to detail. It also requires a comprehensive conference planning guide that will not only keep you on schedule …

What is the key to a successful conference?

Organization is Key to a Successful Conference. Melanie Woodward wrote about event planning for The Balance Small Business, and is the creator of the popular Event Planning Blueprint. Planning a conference requires a skill set that includes incredible organizational skills, the ability to multitask, energy, creativity, business savviness, …

What is an online conference registration system?

The system can process payments, track registrations and organize other relevant information and assist in generating reports and lists of attendees.

What should be included in a conference planning guide?

The first part of your conference planning guide should include the basics regarding the conference: Event date and time. Event location (if known) Event purpose. Include any other known elements, such as alternate dates or number of attendees.

What is conference planning?

Conference planning is different from other types of event planning and includes additional steps. Conferences tend to be large-scale events that typically take a year or more to plan. Your to-do list may include selecting a venue, booking hotel rooms, setting up online registration, securing speakers, arranging hospitality suites, …

How to plan a conference marketing plan?

Plan a conference marketing plan. Start at the beginning and go from there. For every detail that must be tended to include a follow-up to be sure that contracts are signed and received. As the conference date nears, your action items will include short-term tasks such as: Select color scheme and decor.

Why do we need exhibition areas?

Exhibition areas are a common feature at conferences, providing an opportunity for sponsors and vendors to rent space to promote their products and services. This is also an opportunity for the conference host to bring in revenue if the exhibit feature is effectively promoted and well received.

What is the key factor in a successful conference?

While many factors contribute to the success of such a meeting, a key factor is careful planning and organization. To aid the first-time conference chairperson, this paper describes a systematic approach to conference planning and organization: (1) making preliminary analyses and assessments; (2) obtaining the agreement of cosponsors; (3) selecting key conference officers; (4) organizing conference committees; (5)

What is the job of a conference planner?

INTRODUCTION ing a conference plan; organizing committees; develop- ing and administering a budget; setting deadlines; planning technical and social programs; obtaining session chairper- sons and speakers; scheduling, writing, editing, designing, and managing publications; arranging for publicity; obtain- ing support from industry; and coordinating local arrange- ments. Nevertheless, the job can be done. It requires careful planning and organization, delegation of responsibility to capable associates, and coordination of efforts, attention to detail, and adherence to schedule. The success of the annual conference of a professional society depends upon a number of factors, including the time and location of the meeting; the attractions af the local area and the local arrangements; the ability of the conference chairperson and planning committee to attract and select program participants and to organize technical sessions, socials, and special events; the extent of the pub- licity campaign and the quality of the conference publica- tions; the cost of attending the meeting and the travel funds available to attendees; the quality of the technical program; and the number of program participants and meeting at- tendees. The individual who chairs such a conference for the first time may feel overwhelmed by the multiplicity of tasks that, seemingly, must all be done at the same time: Among them are formulating meeting objectives; devis- To aid the first-time conference chairperson, this paper describes a systematic approach to conference planning and organization and provides guidelines for carrying out the major tasks involved. As shown in Fig. 1, the process of planning and organizing a national (or international) annual conference can be divided into nine main steps. Individual

What is POTVIN in the conference?

POTVIN: PLANNING AND ORGANIZING AN ANNUAL CONFERENC

What is the fifth step in the process of planning and organiz- ing a professional society’s annual conference?

uled on a weekend; some airlines offer special fares during weekends. DEVELOPING THE CONFERENCE MASTER PLAN The fifth major step in the process of planning and organiz- ing a professional society’s annual conference is developing a master plan . This involves the combined efforts of the conference chairperson, the conference planning commit- tee, the conference manager, the society executive com- mittee, and society officers. Decisions made require the approval of society officers and the society executive com- mlttee. This step consists of (I) establishing a planning time-table; (2) assessing meeting objectives and developing a method of approach; (3) selecting the conference theme;

Is it better to schedule a conference on Monday or Friday?

161. Scheduling conferences to begin on Monday or end on Friday can be advantageous because participants can travel on the weekend if they desire, come early or stay late to enjoy the attractions of the host city, or spend the weekends at home. On the other hand, scheduling the conference over a weekend can provide cost advantages. For example, some major hotels give a rate reduction if the meeting is sched-

Is a conference program more expensive to print than a brochure?

If the number of pages in the conference program is great, the program will be more expensive to print and mail than a short brochure or conference newsletter. If the program is short, however, the mailing costs may be the same for the program and the brochure, the only difference being the cost of printing.

How to run a conference?

1. Work out the key details in advance. It’s important to set yourself up for success. So, while the temptation might be to gloss over the finer details of running a conference, you have to take the time to think ahead about how it’s all going to come together — or your event could end up a disaster.

Why do conferences have to be held in hotels?

Many conferences even hold their event in a hotel to allow guests to more easily connect and network after a long day of learning. Removing the barriers to intra-event gatherings is one of the best ways to ensure that your attendees enjoy themselves, build relationships — and ultimately come back.

What is a good venue?

A great venue should offer a “hallway” area in which attendees can network during the breaks, as well as be a relatively private area for the event as a whole.

How to promote your event and encourage engagement?

To promote your event and encourage engagement, prioritize social media.

Why do organizations put on events that initially don’t net revenue at all in the short term?

Many organizations put on events that initially don’t net revenue at all in the short term, but do result in long-term sales because of the awareness, authority and credibility built through the audience targeted. Just be sure you decide what you are hoping to gain from your event.

What are the most important events to be aware of?

Further, be aware of any major sporting events, music festivals and concerts, exhibits and the like.

What is a convene?

Convene is a great example of a venue designed for exactly this purpose, and the venue’s professional staff can help you build the small details into your conference day that will make a difference (hint: Food and snacks matter more than might you think).

How to start a presentation at a conference?

Focus on the audience. Speaking of audiences, good public speakers start planning a presentation by identifying the audience they want to address. Presenting at a conference is like teaching a class, you have to present the material at the level of the people in the room. It’s not just a question of beginner, advanced, or expert, …

What to expect at a vendor conference?

If it’s a vendor conference, there are probably going to be lots of managers, (pre) sales people, and business decision makers in the audience. While they might also be competent engineers, they’re at that conference wearing their business leader hat. They want to hear a different story; reliability, ease of maintenance, or evidence of widespread adoption, than an audience of software engineers who are more likely interested in things such as performance, orthogonality, and extensiblity.

What is abstract in conference?

Conference organisers usually ask you to provide a talk abstract as they often don’t feel it is appropriate to summarise your proposal for you. This abstract will be printed in the program or placed on the website so potential visitors to the event know what they’ll be seeing.

Why are your talk and the proposal to give that talk different?

Your talk and the proposal to give that talk are different because they target different audiences. The former is what you are going to present on stage, the latter is a pitch to the reviewers to let you give that presentation. Writing a good conference proposal is a different skill than writing the presentation itself.

Why do so many good proposals with interesting ideas fail to make the cut?

This is where you sell your talk idea, and the place, as a reviewer, I have seen so many good proposals with interesting ideas fail to make the cut because they simply didn’t include enough detail.

What is the second point of a conference proposal?

The second point relates to how likely you are to effectively communicate your ideas. The reviewers want to feel comfortable that you have a plan. It is all too common to see a proposal for an hour long session with only a sentence or two for the description. The less you write in a conference proposal, the more the reviewers are left to take it on faith that you’ll do a good job.

What does it mean when a presenter doesn’t manage their time?

A presenter that doesn’t manage their time, rambles without conclusion, or covers a lot of material in common knowledge is going to waste the audience’s time. That’s not just unfair to the audience, but unfair on the speakers that follow who must deal with a disgruntled audience.

What is SeminarsWorld?

SeminarsWorld ® provides a highly interactive small-group experience and there’s something for everyone.

When will Virtual Experience be available in 2022?

Continue your project management journey with our on demand Virtual Experience Series. Our March and June events are available through 31 January 2022. We are planning two more great events in October and December so mark your calendar.

Why is it important to plan a conference?

Planning is very essential when conducting a conference so that you can account all the important things that you need to consider and find ways to fulfill them or replace them. The most important thing to remember about your conference planning process is that you can accommodate all your attendees’ needs, inform and educate them about the main topic of the event, and at the same time, fulfill your company or organization’s goals.

What is a conference meeting?

People generally consider conference as as a meeting of several people to discuss a particular topic. It is a term often confused with a convention, colloquium, or symposium. Although the major difference it has with the others is the size or number of participants and the purpose, it can be used to cover the general concept.

How to make sure a conference venue is appropriate?

You need to make sure that the venue reflects the image of the conference. Not only will you need to choose the venue that best reflects the image of the conference, but you also need to make sure that it is the appropriate place for target audience as well . In addition, you need to make sure that there are no other on-site events that may clash with your conference image or branding message.

How to maximize attendance?

You need to choose a venue that is accessible to your intended attendees. Choosing the right venue that is easily accessible to your attendee will help you maximize the attendance. You have to make sure that there is an easy access to transportation so that attendees can easily arrive by air, rail, or automobile.

Why do people hold conferences?

As you now know, there is a variety of reasons why people hold a conference. With the discussed purposes of a convention, it is evident that the main goal is to share vital information, teach new things, and to have an open discussion about serious topics. And since there are quite a few purposes of a conference, it also have quite a few types. Hence, listed below are some of the most common types of conferences: 1 A casual gathering that discusses a particular topic and also includes refreshments and entertainment is called a symposium. 2 A seminar is organized to have proper discussion about a particular topic or to conduct a training. It is usually educational in nature. The main goal of a seminar is to have attendees gain new knowledge or skills at the end of the day. 3 A conference that is more about the hands-on experience of the participants that includes demonstrations and activities is called a workshop. However, there is a limit to the time one speaker gets to address the group in this type of conference. 4 A round-table conference is conducted to have an exchange of thoughts and opinions about a certain topics between peers. The topic usually discussed is either political or commercial. In order to give everyone a chance to face all the others, there is only a limited number of participants who sit at a round table during a certain period of time.

What is an unconference?

An unconference is not a traditional conference. It is a conference that aims to avoid the high costs, top-down organizational hierarchy and sponsored presentations. There is common knowledge about the topic among all attendees. The discussion follows an unorthodox open mode; it usually has no single speaker addressing the gathering.

What is the purpose of a seminar?

It is usually educational in nature. The main goal of a seminar is to have attendees gain new knowledge or skills at the end of the day. A conference that is more about the hands-on experience of the participants that includes demonstrations and activities is called a workshop.

How It Differs from Other Event Planning

Conference planning is different from other types of event planning and includes additional steps. Conferences tend to be large-scale events that typically take a year or more to plan. Your to-do list may include selecting a venue, booking hotel rooms, setting up online registration, securing speakers, arranging hospitality suit…

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Start with Conference Planning Basics

What’s The Plan?

Select A Venue

Think About Attendee Registration

Exhibitors and Conference Exhibit Halls

Plan The Conference Details