Conference Management Best Practices
The team at Stratus Firm has produced several conferences, including the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference and the 2022 CEO Summit of the Americas. We’ve worked with some of the country’s top politicians, including President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, amongst other members of Congress. With security at an all time high at these events, our team must ensure each element of the conferences are planned meticulously in order to keep them running smoothly. Years of experience in conference management has taught us several best practices to keep conferences organized, on time, and engaging.
You're Only as Strong as Your Data
Having data that you can depend on is paramount. Whether it be session dates, times, and locations or the event run of show and what room set is needed, one piece of incorrect data in conference planning can cause a trickle effect that becomes detrimental to the teams who depend on it.
Cloud-based Systems for the Win
Working in the world of events means you have to be agile. Using a cloud-based system as your repository of event information is crucial in conference management. When details change, as they inevitably will, using cloud-based platforms ensures that information you need to access is always up-to-date.
Defined Chain of Command
When onsite, despite hours (or even months) of planning, issues will arise. Whether it’s a delay in equipment arriving or a last minute change in speaker, it’s vital to know who is in charge when problems arise. Having a dedicated team and point person who can address issues and make decisions is critical. You never want to run into the issue of too many cooks in the kitchen when it comes to problem solving as it can cause confusion and slow down the process.
Communication is ALWAYS Key
In line with point number three, effective communication is essential in life and in event planning. Disseminating information to each team is not good enough - getting information to the right people is what matters most. Speakers should know what to expect when they get onsite, know their parameters, and deadlines for asset submission.
Standardization
When there are opportunities to standardize set-up, logistics, design - take it! Standardization helps streamline processes and prevents confusion from using multiple systems. Sometimes providing too many options can hurt you in the long haul.