Waikato Business News | February 7, 2024

16 FEBRUARY 2024
Your guide to: Conference, V
How to avoid the pitfalls of
conference and event planning
Thinking about hosting a
conference or organising a
special event? Why not?
After all, they’re great for
corporate networking or
professional development
for businesses of all shapes
and sizes, and they can turn
shindigs of a more personal
nature into truly memorable
occasions.
Whatever your reason for
considering it, the key to
success is always going to
be in the planning. There
are a host of moving parts to organising
a smooth operation, and how you drive
those parts is key.
The first step is to decide what sort
of event you want, what size and scale
you’re looking at. Start a comprehensive
checklist that begins with a
well-considered timeline and ticks every
box along the way … anything less could
mean costly mistakes and end up with
you wearing egg on your face, and no-one
wants that.
Here’s how to go about avoiding those
pesky pitfalls. Whether you’re planning a
corporate function, business conference
or seminar, a wedding or a family soiree,
the rules are pretty much the same.
• Establish the purpose, anticipated
numbers and costings for your
conference or event, then visit
venue options that could be a
good fit in the area you are looking
at. When there, check for breakout
areas or rooms you might
want to use if you are planning
different conference sessions or
workshops.
• Key in your date, but make sure
it doesn’t clash with another
industry conference or event that
might negatively affect yours.
• Know your baseline needs in
terms of technology, sound
systems, live-streaming facilities,
screens, graphics, Wi-Fi, music,
bar and kitchen facilities. If they’re
not offered as part of the venue
booking deal, find out if they
arrange for those requirements to