Getting in and getting it done!

Conferencing for beginners

With conferences and teambuilding as the cornerstone for a successful working team, it is pertinent to ensure that when planning a conference, all the bases of a basic conference are covered.

As with any event, conferences can take up a chunk of one’s allocated budget, but they are important for brainstorming ideas, informing about a product or service, building team spirit, debating an important topic and more.

The basics of a successful conference include ensuring all the following features are taken care of – that of –  food and beverage, venue, number of attendees, and any extras, including that of accommodation – should this be required.

From a one-day standard conference to a launch, weekend getaway or business team build, the number of days and guests should be decided before a venue is contacted, as this may determine how the costs are charged. For numerous Hotels that offer conferencing facilities, there are packages on offer to accommodate certain types of conferences or guest numbers.

When it comes to the venue – it is pertinent that the venue offers the required amount of space to accommodate the number of guests, have in-house catering, as well as all the bells and whistles such as projector, screen, audio and all the other little details that are essential in ensuring the convenience of relaying information.

Whether you are seeking a one-day conference with lunch, or a weekend conference that requires a large amount of food to be catered for, the food should cover all the needs of those attending – from vegetarian to food sensitivities. This information should be relayed to the venue/Hotel months in advance in order for any requests to be taken care of timeously. Following up prior to the conference is a must to ensure all goes smoothly.

An important feature that many event planners should include on their “to-have” list, is entertainment. This would be in the form of an MC, interesting speaker, visual presentation or similar form of entertainment. Attendees of the event only have a relatively short attention space, therefore providing a brief span of entertainment will allow for conference goers to refresh their focus.

For more information on how to plan a successful conference contact 033 234 4071 or visit www.grannymouse.co.za.