How to plan a conference: A ten-step guide to hosting your next corporate event

Planning a conference, but not sure where to begin? You’ve come to the right place. Planning a conference can be an exciting yet complex endeavour, and whilst there's plenty to consider in your initial organising, there's no need to stress. We’ve curated an easy step-by-step guide with everything you could possibly need to plan a successful conference, with each step broken down, whether that's what to look for when sourcing the right venue to ensuring you've booked relevant speakers.

There’s a whole host of reasons why you might be considering hosting a conference, whether that be an industry networking event or a business summit. The first step in your planning is to determine your objectives. The purpose of the conference should drive every decision you make, from selecting a venue to booking your speakers, so it’s a crucial starting point. Trust us, having clear goals on what you want to get out of the experience will simplify things down the line, so it’s worth a moment of consideration.

Another staple in the planning process is, of course, choosing the right venue. Across London and the UK, there are diverse venues to suit different types of conferences. Whilst there are obviously countless options when it comes to finding a conference venue in London, you’ll also find excellent venues across the country. Beyond London, cities like Manchester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham boast impressive conference venues, each offering unique settings with state-of-the-art technology and convenient transport links, making them ideal for national or even international conferences.

To help you ensure that your conference is productive and runs as smoothly as possible, we’ve broken down everything you’ll want to consider when planning a conference, from defining your objectives to hiring conference speakers. Read on to dive into the details and ensure that your next conference is a success.

1. Define your purpose and set conference objectives

When it comes to conference planning, it’s all about the ‘why’. The purpose of your conference should be at the forefront of your mind throughout the planning process. Perhaps you’re looking to encourage collaboration, share knowledge with your audience, attract potential clients, increase your brand awareness, or build networks amongst professionals. Whatever the reason, having well-defined objectives will streamline the decision-making process and keep your planning aligned with your goals. 

Secondly, it’s important to understand your audience. Are you catering to industry professionals, academics, or a broader demographic? From organising the agenda to booking your conference speakers, you should keep referring back to your audience and your objectives throughout the planning process, to ensure the conference resonates and delivers as much value as possible.

2. Establish a budget

Budgeting is a critical step in the planning process. The cost of hiring a conference venue can widely vary, and you'll want to make sure that you're staying on track with your designated budget when making each decision. There are plenty of factors that affect the cost of a conference venue, including the location, number of guests, and the date and time of the event, depending if you’re looking to host a conference during peak or off peak times.

Key expenses to account for could include:

• Venue hire
• Speaker fees
• Catering
• Technology requirement
• Marketing

It might also be worth having assigned emergency funds, in case unexpected expenses pop up. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the budgeting aspect, then be sure to take some time and go through our step-by-step guide on the costs of hiring a conference venue, including tips on average costs and how you can pay for it. 

But hosting a conference doesn’t have to be financially draining. If you’re struggling for funds, then why not consider getting a sponsor for your event? Collaborating with a sponsor not only provides financial support but can also boost your event’s credibility and visibility. Even finding a partner to cover a fraction of the cost can go a long way in order to ensure that your conference is a success. Alternatively, you could consider making the event ticketed - just ensure the pricing aligns with your target audience’s expectations.

3. Choose a date and venue

As mentioned before, the date and time of your conference can greatly affect the cost of your venue, but it’s also worth considering the availability of your audience. What time of day would they be available to attend? What days of the week are more likely to attract attendance from your audience?

When it comes to choosing the right venue, there are a few key considerations:

Capacity: Conference venues come in all shapes and sizes, once you have a rough idea of how many people will be attending, you can begin to filter through your venues and make a short list of those that will sufficiently hold all of your attendees.

The Barbican Hall at the Barbican Conference Centre can accommodate almost 2,000 guests.

Location: There are conferencing venues across the country, with many big cities boasting a whole host of options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a conference venue in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, or beyond, you can search to your heart’s content with our conference venues hub page.

Accessibility: Think about the transport links. Is the venue close to key motorways? Train stations? If you have guests coming from across the country, then it may be in your best interest to keep your conference as central as possible, or ensure that it is easily accessible from local stations or has plenty of parking.

Ambience: Are you looking for a more casual space for the conference, or somewhere that'll really impress and showcase the very best of your brand? Return to the questions of who is your audience, and what do you want them to take away from the event?

Layout: No two conferences are the same. So you’ll want to ensure that your space is adaptable for whatever plans you may have. Are you looking for flexibility so you can chop and change the setup throughout the day? If you’re planning to have speakers at your event then you’ll want to ensure that your venue comes with a stage, and perhaps tiered seating.

4. Source conference technology

Technology can make or break your conference experience. Using technology, such as key presentations and visual displays, can help to streamline your message, as well as keeping your audience focused and engaged throughout the day.

Be sure to check whether your venue provides the following essentials:

• Wireless presentation systems
• Microphones and speakers 
• Interactive whiteboards
• Video conferencing software
• High-speed Wi-Fi 

Other considerations might include software to help you through the planning process, such as organising registration management for the conference, or building your agenda. Tools for audience engagement, such as apps, can also be used for live polling, Q&A sessions, and surveys. A dedicated event app can also provide attendees with schedules, venue maps, and updates to ensure the conference runs as smoothly as possible.

5. Book conference speakers

Now this won’t be relevant for all conferences, so feel free to skip this step if it doesn’t apply! But for many events, speakers will be essential. Hearing from industry leaders and experts helps to add credibility to your event and draw interest from potential audiences.

Guest speakers in the Wolfson Room & Gallery at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace

Schedules book up quickly, so you’ll want to get in touch as early as possible to ensure that your top choice of speakers are available for your event. You'll also want to take some time to coordinate with your chosen speakers, and ensure that contracts, travel, and accommodation - if necessary - have all been discussed and finalised.

6. Create an agenda

A well-structured agenda is crucial for ensuring that your event is organised and engaging. Be sure to think about the way you structure the day: no one wants back-to-back speakers all day without any breaks.

Consider the following tips when crafting your schedule:

• Balance presentations and speakers with breaks to avoid attendee fatigue
• Include networking opportunities or interactive workshops to keep energy levels high
• Diversify your formats or seating layouts throughout the day to maintain interest

For more tips and tricks on maximising audience engagement at your next event, be sure to check out our guide on how to increase audience engagement.

7. Promote your conference

Social media is your best friend here. Build awareness of your conference across platforms, as well as using email campaigns to spread the message, and even sell tickets. Now is the perfect time to refer back to your audience and consider what platforms they are most likely to use. That way you can tailor your promotional material accordingly. 

For example, LinkedIn might be ideal for industry professionals, while Instagram could work better for creative or younger audiences. Use engaging visuals and teasers about your speakers or sessions to capture interest. Find additional tips and tricks on using social media for your event, in order to maximise your conference's reach.

8. Send reminders

As your conference approaches, be sure to send out reminders to your attendees. These should include all the essential details, such as the date, time, location, and any additional items they'll need to bring with them (tickets, identification etc.). We'd recommend a quick reminder one week before the event, and perhaps a follow up the day before your conference. You could also use this time to send out pre-conference materials for maximum pre-event engagement.

If you’re using an event app, include push notifications for updates like schedule changes or special announcements, perhaps including a countdown to your event.

9. Conference day coordination

The big day has arrived! Ensure you have a clear plan in place to make sure your conference is as streamlined as possible. You'll want to arrive early to oversee the setup, ensure that all relevant technology and equipment is on hand, and resolve any last-minute issues. Delegate responsibilities amongst your team so each person knows their role, whether that’s managing attendee registration, setting up technical equipment, or liaising with your speakers. We'd recommend using a checklist to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Pre-conference set up at Vision Hall

DON'T FORGET: You'll likely encounter challenges or problems throughout the day - it's very rare that events go 100% to plan. Be sure to stay calm, and remain open to flexibility. Your guests will likely understand if you have to move events or breaks around to cater for unexpected issues. Just keep your attendees informed on any changes.

10. Gather conference feedback and share follow up resources

Congratulations - you've planned and hosted a successful conference. There's just one final step that we'd recommend to round out the process. Collect feedback from your attendees to evaluate the conference’s success and identify areas that you could improve for any future events. Use post-event surveys or polls to ask specific questions about what worked well and what could be better next time. You can either do this at the end of your conference, or as part of a follow up email.

We'd also advise that you send out some follow-up resources with your attendees. It's a great way to leave a lasting impression, and ensure that engagement and interest continues long after your event has finished. This is also your opportunity to send out recordings of sessions, presentation slides, or key takeaways of the conference. Be sure to thank your attendees, sponsors, and speakers – a little gratitude goes a long way in fostering positive relationships and setting the stage for future events.

Want to ensure your conference ends with a bang? Why not check out our tips on how to host a successful networking event, for a memorable post-conference session.