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How to Conduct a Successful Business Conference in Six Steps

Kara Masterson

July 07, 2014

Business conferences don't have to be boring. Quiet as it's kept, a business conference can be beneficial for everyone, from the administrative assistant to the CEO. But in order to have a successful business conference, these six steps must be followed.

1. Have a Clear Goal

If the end goal is a higher profit, plan the speeches, presentations, statistics and even the brochures around this. If invited speakers are in attendance, make sure they understand the primary purpose of the business conference so they can stick to this theme, too.

2. Check Technical Equipment Regularly

Nothing ruins a meeting quite like the PowerPoint presentation, live chat, television promo video, projectors or microphones not working. There's a reason that entertainers do a mic check before performing. It may seem silly to do initially, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

3. Refreshments

Generally it's a bad idea to have a meeting full of people too distracted to listen because of hunger or thirst. Keep safe snacks on hand such as cheese, crackers, fruits, water, and coffee. These are all refreshments that may tide them over until the end of the meeting but not so much that they won't be able to focus.

4. Choose a Great Location

Location is important to the success of your conference. If you have people flying in, one of the best things you can do is to choose a banquet hall in a hotel, such as the Monte Carlo Inn in Vaughan, ON. Attendees can book rooms in that hotel and not have to travel far to get to the conference location.

5. Involve and Entertain Attendees

While it may seem ridiculous to include a pop quiz in a meeting, it is a good idea to keep the audience invested in a discussion, especially if it's really dry and full of company lingo. Some companies choose to have a raffle. Create 10 or 20 significant questions, and let attendees choose their best guess for the correct answer. Even if their answers are wrong and they don't win the grand prize, at least the company owners will feel more satisfied that they attempted to digest the information.

6. Verify all Information Beforehand

Once print or digital invitations have been sent out, attendees plan their days around this business conference. But before sending out final times, dates and locations, make sure to check with the company again. It's never a bad idea to double check, especially when it comes to expensive travel arrangements or high-security information.

A business conference should be a seamless effort, but sometimes there are bumps in the road. However, these six steps will help avoid manageable errors. Organized events give the company a valuable reputation and can make planned events much more enjoyable to attend.

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