Organizing a conference in a hotel: how to be successful?

If you don't have much experience in organizing conferences in a hotel, you can feel excited, but also stressed. Implementation of such an undertaking requires making many decisions and taking care of various matters. We have prepared a handful of tips for you, thanks to which your events will be remembered by the participants for a long time!

Organization of a conference in a hotel: how to choose a theme?

Before you start dealing with any matters related to the organization conferences for companiesanswer yourself a few questions. First of all, think about the purpose of your event. Then think about who you want to invite. Also consider what character the planned event will take, how long it will last and how much you can spend on it. Think it over well, thanks to which it will be easier to develop a detailed concept of the conference.

Regardless of your experience in organizing conferences in a hotel, define a detailed, specific goal of the event, and then think about how you want to achieve it. For example, you can introduce participants to the brand and its values, build a strong, effective team, encourage greater environmental awareness or focus on future innovation. 

While you may be tempted not to set the conference topic, don't make that mistake! Think about the events, trainings, conferences and workshops you have attended. Wonder if they had any party themes? Make sure the topic you choose fits your target audience. Think about whether it will evoke any emotions in her. If so, you will increase the chances of that organization of conferences in the hotel will be a success. The perfect leitmotif arouses the interest of the recipients and allows them to understand the goals of the event.

How to organize a professional conference step by step?

Regardless of whether you want to organize a small or large conference, create a creative and trusted team to whom you will delegate some of the tasks. Think about what responsibilities you will assign to individual team members to avoid overloading. Think about who will support you in finding a venue, marketing, acquiring sponsors and administrative activities such as setting and sticking to a budget or selling tickets.

Do you feel that you need more support in organizing a conference in a hotel? Then make a plan to recruit volunteers. Look for them among students and enthusiasts of your product or services. If you need support for your core team, don't be afraid to ask for help. Remember to regularly check that your assistants are doing their job well.

Organization of a conference in a hotel: what to pay attention to?

Before you choose place for a company event, compare offers in terms of room capacity, number of beds, availability and logistics. In this way, you will choose a facility that will not only meet the needs of your company, but also of the participants. Look for a hotel that is close to a train station or bus stop. Remember that not all listeners and speakers will arrive by private car. By the way, check if the hotel has a large car park, or if there is a public area nearby. Make sure that the chosen facility corresponds to the type of activities you have planned. 

Organization of a conference in a hotel: financial issues

Before you start organizing a conference in a hotel, prepare a business plan and budget. Regardless of whether you plan to get sponsors or not, you need to determine the sources of funding and all expenses. When developing the event budget, include the event venue, catering, accommodation and transport (e.g. speakers), sound system, lighting and accessories rental. In addition, include speaker compensation, promotional activities, and extracurricular activities. 

Remember to document all expenses, especially if you raise funds for organizing a conference at the hotel from external sources. In order to avoid unnecessary nerves, when preparing a budget, include at least 20% in it. stock for unexpected expenses, such as renting additional equipment or transport. Managing big money can be very stressful, especially if you are inexperienced in planning these types of events. Look for an app that helps you organize your budget, track expenses, and generate reports. 

How to promote the conference?

All efforts to organize a conference in a hotel will be for nothing if no one comes to it. Think about how you will advertise your event. Popular marketing tools such as social media posts, radio ads, press releases, guest articles on popular blogs will help you effectively promote your event. You can also send relevant information and inquiries to scientific institutions that are willing to participate in such projects. 

How to combine a conference with a corporate event?

Wondering how to organize a successful one company meeting? You need a good plan to help you sort things out. Prepare a detailed event schedule and distribute it to attendees. Thanks to this, everyone will be able to prepare well for the meeting.

If you want to improve the atmosphere in the team, you can combine the conference with a tourist event. Think about what attractions you will prepare for your co-workers. Do you feel that team members need rest? Offer them yoga classes, SPA treatments or meditation workshops. In this way, employees can get away from their daily duties for a while and forget about the pressure they are under. 

If you're hosting a conference just for co-workers, you can send them an invitation email. Remember to include RSVP in the message, i.e. a request to confirm your arrival. This will make it easier for you to determine the number of people who will attend your event. However, try to personally invite guest speakers, CEO or key business partners. So you don't have to worry about offending anyone.

How to organize an unforgettable event?

Make sure that the selected date of the conference does not coincide with similar events. Don't plan an event when most people are on vacation, otherwise you won't get a satisfactory turnout. When planning the conference program, include breaks in it, during which participants will be able to talk to each other calmly. Otherwise, the people attending the event will quickly get tired and lose their ability to concentrate.

Inform the hotel manager or owner of how many people are coming to the conference. Be sure to let them know of any attendees' allergies so the chef can prepare a proper menu. The day before the conference, go to the hotel to make sure that the room looks as it should and the equipment works flawlessly.

If you don't know experts in a particular field, look for them well in advance. Check who specializes in the topic your conference is about. Create a list of potential speakers, then start emailing and calling. Remember, the sooner you do this, the better. The best speakers have really busy schedules, and you don't want someone to beat you to it. Don't throw this list away! Anything can happen, so you need back-up speakers. If necessary, you will simply implement plan B!

After the conference, send participants an e-mail form and ask them to fill it out. This way you will know what they liked and what needs to be improved. Constructive feedback will come in handy when planning future events.

How to organize a party – see event configurator