Our primary focus is to work with our clients to achieve successful conference outcomes. We have assembled here, tips for various aspects of conferencing. We encourage you to include a tip of your own. Something that has worked successfully for your group. The best tip each month will win a bottle of Yarra Valley wine with our compliments.
Tips for Selecting a Venue | Tips for Presentations | Food & Beverage Tips | Tips for Conference Attendees | Tips for Conference Photography | Tips of the Month | Submit Your Tip
Tips for Selecting a Conference Venue
Organisations can have a great deal of money invested in a conference. Don't underestimate the value an experienced conference venue can add to your conference. Here are a few important questions you should ask a venue on a site inspection.
- What will happen in a power outage?
Does the venue have an independant source of power? Imagine how disruptive a power blackout could be for your conference. Good venues will have an auxilary power source such as a diesel generator that can run the whole venue. - Does the venue offer ergonomic chairs?
The comfort of your delegates is paramount to achieving the desired conference outcome. Banquet chairs will not do. Chairs need adjustable height, arms and back to provide propper support. - Does the venue provide up-to-date A/V equipment and full A/V support?
- Do conference rooms have good natural light?
Delegates sitting in a dull room will not be attentive for long periods. - Can the venue provide at least 3 recent references from organisations that used the venue?
- Is there a dedicated venue person that you can call on during your conference?
- Is there a complete meeting package rate that covers all inclusions?
A few questions to help in the venue selection process prepared by Summit Conference Group can be downloaded and used to evaluate venues.
Tips for Presentation
- Ensure the venue has a spare globe and a back-up projector? (Globes blow and this can delay or even ruin your presentation - some venues will run globe right to the last few hours of usage)
- To determine screen size for a room - the distance to the rear seated person should not be more than 10 times and width of the screen.
- Test readability of your screen presentation by sitting 6 feet back from your laptop screen. This is about the same as a conference delegate seated towards the back of the room. If you can read the laptop from 6 feet back, chances are your screen presentation will be easily legible by all conference attendees. (Nothing worse than viewing a presentation you can not read.)
- Have spare batteries on hand for wireless conference AV tools, this includes projector remotes, microphones and laser pointers.
- Arrive 45 minutes before the start of the conference (facilitator/organiser) to make sure all audio-visual equipment and sound facilities are working properly. This ensures smooth presentations and no delays.
Food and Beverage tips
- Lunch should be light with a variety of different foods. Buffet lunches should always include salads and fruit. Minimise fried and heavy foods. This helps delegates to stay awake and attentive during your afternoon sessions.
- Determine special dietary requirements for your group in advance. Delegates with special dietary requirements should speak directly to the chefs.
- Have whole fruit or sliced fruit available at morning and afternoon tea. People need a choice - a scone jam and cream or a piece of fruit.
- Ensure mints/lollies on conference tables are individually wrapped. This helps prevent transfer of germs, in particular in winter with cold and flu about.
- Take Berocca to the conference. Your body may not be used to excesses of food and beverages. Berocca can assist with vitamins and energy levels.
- To anticipate a bar tab for the night - allow the cost of 1 bottle of wine per person. Look on the wine list a find a reasonably priced bottle of wine and multiply by the number of people for dinner.
- If you want delegates to be on time, attentive and active in the first session of the day, close the bar about 11pm the night before. Once the bar is closed delegates tend to go to bed.
Tips for Conference Attendees
- Set Goals Before You Go
Before you leave for the conference, write down some goals that you want to accomplish during the conference. These could include items about specific skills you want to hone, questions you want to have answered, people you want to contact, areas for which you want to have referral contacts. - Dress Efficiently
Hotels and conference venues often have great variations in temperature from room to room. So dress in layers that can be removed or added depending on the temperature. Wear clothes and shoes (low heels for women) that are comfortable. - Take Care of Your Body
While the excitement of a conference can get the adrenaline flowing, be sure to monitor how your body is doing. Drink plenty of fluids, but remember that coffee and other caffeinated beverages often cause "dry mouth." Try to stay as close to your normal eating and drinking pattern as possible even though it may be tempting to over indulge the alcohol, sweets, and rich foods. It's no fun being sick at a conference. Also remember that many venues have exercise rooms spa pools and saunas. - Maintain Balance
With the excitement and over stimulation that usually occurs at conferences, it will be important for you to take measures to maintain your balance. Try to continue any routines that you normally practice at home. Arrange for a wake-up call or set an alarm to get up and take a morning walk/run. Do some yoga or other exercise in your room. - Network, Network, Network
A conference is a priceless opportunity to make yourself known and to get to know others. You've already set some goals that will get you started. Now be alert to other opportunities. Never underestimate the value of connecting with the "lesser known" participants. Remember to listen to what others have to say, but you also have to offer something to the conversation if you want others to remember you. - Learn From Every Experience
You will learn much from attending a conference. There will be wonderful speakers with much to share. You will learn a great deal as you network with colleagues. And there will be some mistakes you make that will also teach you important lessons. Learn from every single experience.
Conference Photography Tips
- Be unobtrusive. Casual shots are better.
Natural is a good look. Try not to have people pose for you. "Be the fly on the wall." Make your goal not to be noticed or seen. Record how people look in rapt attention or naturally smiling or just being there at a conference. Catch the moment. Those pictures tell a story. - Pay attention to the background.
Trees and light posts sprouting out of people's heads are mistakes you don't need to make. Before you click, just take a quick look at the background. Stop and recompose. - Pay attention to the lighting.
Is there a lot of sun coming in from a window behind the person? Is the light bright in one area and dark in another? All of these things make for tough shots, but what you should do is try to make the best of it. - Try not to use the flash.
Consider taking pictures with natural light. The result is often more dramatic. Remember to hold the camera very still. - More is better
Take at least three pictures per shot. Why? Because people blink, glance away and move. By shooting more and shooting rapidly you significantly increase the chances you'll get "the great shot". - Bring extra batteries, memory cards, your cables, and chargers
It does not hurt to have extras. Someone may thank you for it.
Conference Tip of the Month
This months Winning Tip
Allow one square metre per person when looking at room size. This applies to most formats - theatre style or banquet plus 30% for standard staging / screen presentation space, and always allow time for a full technical run through and a live 'performance' read through so the equipment is working properly and the speakers know what the room and acoustics feel like - before delegates arrive.
Catherine Woon.
Catherine wins a bottle of Yarra Valley wine for her tip.
Send us your Tip to Win a bottle of Yarra Valley Wine from Bulong Estate
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