Lighting is a very important consideration for creating mood and ambience at your event, and for drawing attention to pieces you wish to highlight. Many different types of lighting are available to create a range of effects that help to create impact and impress your guests. Think about incorporating this into your budget, it’s a cost-effective way to make an impression.

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This is all about being clear on the style of your event and the atmosphere you want to create. For example, you may want to impress with a stylish, sophisticated affair at which high end service with fine food and wine is offered. Alternatively, you may want more of a carnival, bright and fun feel to your event.

Consider factors that will help to set the desired mood and feel of your event and work out the sorts of resources and materials that willensure this is achieved.

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Have you had trouble with a venue creating issues and difficulties when bringing in outside A/V?

You have the right to bring outside audio visual suppliers into almost every venue in Australia.  Quite often it will be cheaper or provide better/greater service than using the contracted supplier, but because the venue receives a commission on whatever you pay the contracted supplier they won’t always make you aware of your rights or sometimes won’t be helpful in accomplishing this.

If you have your own Professional Conference Organiser (PCO), let them make the negotiations on your behalf and use their Technical Director to get the best price and value for you on the equipment.

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A web presence, preferably one with an easily updateable Content Management System (CMS) is necessary. Spend your dollars on Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Google Analytics and Adwords to increase the site ranking and get your message out to as many people as possible and guage where your delegates are coming from. Use the data to help target relevant markets. Don’t use flash technology and count down timers as this wastes your marketing dollars on gimmicks – spend the money on marketing the site.

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So many times the marketing of the event doesn’t get it’s fair share of budget allocated to it. If the budget allows, allocate at least 5% of the conference budget on marketing.

The marketing of the event is about getting your message out to your potential attendees about why they should attend. This is crucial. Like viral marketing, once you reach break even point, the more registrations you get, the better your bottom line and the less pressure put on finding sponors and exhibitors.

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If you don’t have a clear objective for the event, then how will you communicate this to your PCO, your team and the attendees? This is probably THE most important concept before budget and venue, as the objective drives the raison d’etre for everything that follows, including the budget and venue.

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Don’t just write the budget and never look at it again. Write your budget with a surplus in mind. This means you can put back money into your operating capital and provide more member services and benefits. A value-add for your membership.

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Planning events yourself diverts attention from your core business functions & therefore business opportunities are lost. You don’t have to outsource the whole event to make use of a professional. Outsource the parts that are the most time consuming for YOUR organisation.

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I can’t stress enough the importance of outlining the duties & responsibilities, & getting a commitment from the Advisory Committee & Chairperson to take on specific tasks. E.g. Sponsorship, Program, Speakers etc. If your Committee doesn’t take on responsibility from the beginning, your conference is doomed from the start or one person will end up shouldering a considerable load.

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A successful conference is created by having a logical plan that will carry you from the start all the way to the end. An effective timeline will keep everyone on track and ensure you do not miss any important deadlines. A timeline is not just a long to-do list, it’s also a schedule of key tasks, dates and responsibilities that are clearly defined, have a person’s name to action the task, and is easy to use.

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