Organizing conferences successfully - how to make your event a success

Conference guide

To ensure the success of a conference, it is essential to plan and prepare the event comprehensively. It is not just a matter of finding the perfect location and determining the main topics. The catering and the supporting program must also be right. In the following guide, we explain what you need to consider when planning a conference and what options the Seehotel Töpferhaus offers you.

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Who is planning the conference?

To get the planning of a conference on the right track from the outset, the first step is to appoint an organizer. This can be an employee, an internal committee or an external conference planner. The larger the event is to be, the more advisable it is to seek professional support.

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When should the conference take place?

The first step in preparation is to set the date of the conference. You should do this at least six months in advance so that there is enough time for planning and organizing. Public vacations and vacations are less suitable as event dates, as many potential participants have already planned trips and other private activities for these periods. Once you have made a decision, it is advisable to send advance notice to the intended guests so that they do not make other plans for the date.

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Which location suits the conference?

The larger the number of participants, the earlier you should select and book the conference location. Particularly popular locations are often fully booked for months.

The most suitable conference venue depends on several factors. The available budget plays a not insignificant role. As soon as this is known, you can take a closer look at specific offers in the relevant price range. It is important that the location can provide sufficient capacity for the planned number of guests as well as the necessary technical equipment.

A conference hotel that can be used both as a conference location and for overnight stays is usually the best choice. As a rule, these locations have good transport connections and sufficient parking facilities.

You can reach our hotel quickly and easily via the A7. A sufficient number of parking spaces are available. With our conference rooms and our open-air conference tipi on the Seewiese, we can host events with up to 100 participants. There are 47 hotel rooms with 94 beds available for accommodation.

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What should the conference program look like?

As a rule, the objectives and the main topics are already defined at the initial stage of conference planning. On this basis, it is important to find expert speakers who can enrich the event with interesting presentations. It is also advisable to book a keynote speaker to ensure that the individual contributions are not just a dry series. This keynote speaker gets the participants in the mood for the topic, provides a bit of a break in between, links bulky topics and helps the audience to get over the "midday slump" in a playful way.

If it is a scientific conference, the so-called Call for Papers should be issued several months before the date of the conference. This call contains information on the range of topics of the scientific papers to be submitted and the format requirements as well as information on the submission procedure and deadline. Once you have received enough responses, you should coordinate the content of the papers and define fixed start and end times.

It is also important to set break times. After all, the guests don't just want to listen, they also want to be able to discuss the new information they have received.

The more detailed you plan and communicate the daily schedule, the more smoothly your conference will run. Ultimately, however, you should be aware that something unforeseen can always happen. In this case, stay calm and try to react confidently. The more humorously you take the whole thing yourself, the more calmly the participants will deal with disruptions and mistakes.

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Who takes care of the guests' physical well-being?

A growling stomach makes it difficult to concentrate and work effectively. That's why providing a good range of food and drinks is one of the most important organizational points. Depending on the length of the event, you should plan several meal times. If the conference starts early in the morning, a coffee break should take place early on. At lunchtime, we recommend a meal together and another short break in the afternoon, during which small snacks are served.

The budget for catering usually depends on the number of guests. You should let the catering service know this as early as possible so that they can calculate the exact costs. Also find out whether it is possible to increase the budget at a later date if the number of participants increases due to late confirmations.

Don't settle on the first provider that comes along, but compare the various catering services with each other. Ask for a quote based on the following general conditions:

• How many people are you expecting?
• Should alcoholic drinks also be offered?
• Do you want a set menu, a buffet or a flying buffet?
• Do you need table linen and crockery?

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The supporting program as the cherry on the cake

Although the primary purpose of a conference is to provide information and present interesting news and research questions, entertainment should not be neglected. You can only ensure that participants remain receptive and attentive throughout the day by providing sufficient breaks, relaxing elements and opportunities to unwind between the individual presentations.

Classic options include a tour of the conference location, a visit to a place of interest or a guided tour of the city. Other options include music acts, artists or a cabaret. With these options, however, you should bear in mind that your guests will be sitting down all day anyway and may prefer to get some exercise. Alternatively, many locations also offer activity programs such as creative courses, boccia, bowling, hiking, taster golf or archery.

Basically, there are hardly any limits to the choice of supporting program. However, you should consider the following beforehand:

• Does the number of participants require a division into groups or alternative offers?
• Does the supporting program match the age structure of the participants or are different programs recommended for the different age groups?
• Is a shuttle bus service required and can this be arranged?
• Is there a charge for the accompanying program? (Only recommended if the participants are informed in advance and there are free alternative offers).
• Are preparations necessary on the part of the participants?

If the supporting program is to be a surprise, make sure that the guests can take part in it in their conference outfits without any problems. You should therefore not plan anything that could damage clothing or cause an unpleasant smell of sweat to spread in the event location afterwards.

Depending on the scope of the accompanying programme, planning can be very time-consuming and require organizational skills. Therefore, take the opportunity to draw on the experience of the local organizer.

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After the conference is before the conferenceAfter the conference is before the conference

It's done - the conference is over. We now recommend a detailed follow-up so that you can plan the next event even better.

Ideally, you should make notes during the event about anything you think was particularly successful or where you see room for improvement. It is also advisable to obtain feedback from the conference guests, for example as part of the thank-you letter. You should also be sure to thank the speakers, the operators of the event location, the caterer and all other service providers who were involved in the successful realization of your conference.

Also ask yourself whether the budget was sufficient. If there were problems with the budget allocation, you will have to set the budget higher next time or accept compromises in the program or the location. If you were satisfied with the conference venue, catering and other services, you should save the relevant contacts for next time.

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