You may well have been to a conference in the past that proved to be a disappointment for any number of reasons and you will want to avoid a similar scenario if you are now the organizer rather than the attendee.
One of the primary ingredients for conference success is to ensure that you choose the right location that meets all your needs, so here are some pointers on how to get it right.
Location really matters
Some aspects of your conference planning should take priority over other considerations and at the top of your requirements should be choosing the right location.
The ideal conference center should be located within an area that offers easy access to good road, rail, and airport links so that you boost your chances of getting a high acceptance rate from potential attendees.
In addition to the conference venue being situated in a good location in terms of transport links there also needs to be a range of accommodation within close proximity.
Delegates often want to stay somewhere comfortable like the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza, for example, where there will be opportunities to relax and enjoy some leisure pursuits away from the conference itself.
Choosing a dedicated meeting venue that knows how to host a conference and is in a convenient location is an important box you need to tick when you are putting your plans together.
Great facilities and services
Another key element that helps your event succeed is finding a venue that offers all of the facilities and support services you are likely to need.
You will probably want a degree of flexibility on the size of the room or rooms you need and many good conference venues are able to adapt and change the layout to a certain extent, so that you end up with just the right space you want.
Good services and backup support mean giving you access to catering facilities and options, as well as giving you the option of hiring a qualified workforce who know how to look after the guests.
Tech support is essential
Even the most basic of conferences still requires sound and lighting to create the right professional impression.
If you don’t have the tech know-how when it comes to putting everything together for your presentation you will want the venue to be able to provide you with the option of accessing the right people who can ensure the sound and lighting all come together perfectly.
Having access to a reliable WiFi connection is also an important requirement so check with the venue and confirm that this option will be available and will be up to the task.
Keep an eye on response times
Once you have a shortlist of potential conference venues it would be a good idea to gauge how efficient they are in responding to your enquiry and questions.
If you have to chase up for a reply or don’t get a prompt response to any points you want clarifying this might be a potential warning that they might offer a tardy service throughout the process, which you don’t want, so be mindful of how on the ball they seem to be.
