What Makes a Good Team Event or Conference?
It's the most wonderful time of the year: conference season! Whether you're attending a big team event or hosting one yourself, there are some things that every team event/conference should have. And yes, despite what you may think, it's not just about free swag and networking opportunities. So what actually makes a good team event or conference?
Having a Solid Plan
You know what they say, failing to plan is planning to fail. That's why planning is such an important aspect of running an event. If you struggle with planning, definitely consider hiring someone to handle this for you as there are so many fundamental things that go into running an event and without solid planning skills, there is a chance it could all go wrong!
If I had to give you one word to summarise what is most important when it comes to event planning it would definitely be timing. GET YOUR TIMING DOWN TO A T. This can help ensure that everything runs smoothly.
The second part of creating a solid plan is finding speakers who can talk about relevant topics on behalf of your organisation or company. You should also consider inviting speakers from related organisations or companies—this will help create networking opportunities for attendees and make it easier for everyone to find new resources during their stay at the conference.
The third essential component of an effective team event is choosing an appropriate venue with plenty of space for breakout sessions, as well as food and beverages so that participants don't get hungry during breaks between sessions. Finally, think about scheduling times for meals together so attendees can connect socially over lunch or dinner during breaks between sessions.
Having Great Organisational Skills
You've heard that being late is rude, but it's much more than that. Great organisation is the foundation of a brilliant event. Being late shows poor communication, lack of respect for others' time and a lack of professionalism. In order to run a successful event, you need to do what you can to ensure that all team members are aware of the meeting times and don't leave anyone hanging.
Also, don't just assume someone else will take care of it! Take initiative! For example: If there's an important task that needs to be done before the meeting—like making coffee or arranging snacks—do it yourself, unless you are preoccupied don't ask someone else to do it for you at the last minute.
When running an event, don't forget about etiquette either! Be polite when addressing others by their first name - if you struggle with names, then remember to include name badges; be courteous when asking for help with something; and smile often!
Having organisational skills are not only important whilst you are running the event, but before hand as well - the audience won’t fill itself. If you want to run a successful event, you need to be able to plan. Plan the venue, plan the accommodation, plan the catering, and plan the marketing.
Having a Clear Message/ Goals
The first thing to consider is the message you want to convey. This should be the focus of your conference, and it’s what you want attendees to walk away with at the end of your event.
The key to a brilliant event is simply reverse engineering. What are you looking to enhance, implement or change? Step back and ask yourself, why are you running this event? When you have decided on your takeaways, you can choose your speaker, itinerary and everything else based on this. This way, your audience is much more likely to have a seamless experience at your event or conference.
For example if you are looking for ways to enhance communication then you would keep this in mind when setting up your event. Finding a speaker that specialises in the topic you are looking to enhance is the best way to ensure that the event takeaways are strong and memorable, which leads me onto my next point…
Booking An Impactful Speaker
I’ve said it before and I will say it again - you can have a brilliant plan, a clear message and fabulous organisation but if your speaker is not the right fit for your event, the event will never, ever be impactful. When choosing a speaker, it's super important to make sure they are the right fit for your audience. There are many different factors to consider when picking the right speaker. You'll want to choose someone who can inspire your participants and offer practical advice that they can use immediately. The ideal speaker should also be able to teach them something new, keep them engaged throughout the presentation, motivate them by providing examples of how others have succeeded in similar situations, and/or entertain them with humour or stories about themselves or their company's history.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of speakers. Inspirational speakers, motivational speakers, after dinner speakers, guest speakers, the list goes on... Choosing the right one can be daunting. There are two main ways in which you can go about booking a speaker, directly or via a speaker bureau. If you go directly to the speaker, you can pick up the phone and chat with them, pop them a message on their social media channels or just drop them an email. You can probably expect a more personable experience as you will be communicating directly with the speaker.
Alternatively, and the most common option, is you can go through a speaker bureau. When you go through a speaker bureau you will be presented with a wider pool of speakers to choose from as well as assistance with choosing the correct speaker for you - although you can expect this service to come at a bit of a higher cost.
Once you have decided on the type of speaker you would like to hire, make sure that they are available before making any decisions. This will allow them time to prepare and ensure that there won't be any conflicts with other commitments.
Keep Energy High
The most important aspect of a good team event - other than a super speaker, of course - is energy. Whether you’re looking to energise your employees after their annual review or celebrate another year in business together, if you want the perfect event atmosphere then you really need to remember to keep energy high. Remember that your audience may well be sitting in a dark room all day, so if high energy isn't a main focus for you, then there is a high chance of your audience getting burnt-out.
There are many ways to keeping a high energy atmosphere when running an event, some of these are:
Offering frequent breakout sessions
Have the audience stand, shout or jump frequently
Tell jokes!
Keep energy levels high with snacks and lots of water
Choose speakers with high energy
If you want to go above and beyond for your event, then by combining team building exercises with fun activities like scavenger hunts or hostage situation sessions, you will be sure to create memories that last long after the event has ended!
Some Extra Tips
A good conference/event should be well-planned, interesting and have a clear message, but I know it can be hard to plan an inspiring event from scratch. I’ve put together some extra tips for you to ensure that your conference or event is fun and memorable.
Remember that the key to success is in making sure everyone has fun! Think about what will make people enjoy themselves while they are there, such as food and drinks, games or other activities. If you want attendees to leave feeling inspired then make sure they are involved in activities where they can contribute their own ideas – not just listening passively.
Consider how much time will be available for events compared with more formal presentations/workshops etc., use this time wisely by creating a schedule/itinerary beforehand so everything runs smoothly on the day (you don’t want any surprises!).
Make sure there is enough variety at your event – try not only having speakers but also hands-on learning opportunities too (this could include role play scenarios or demonstrations). This helps participants engage with each other better as well as keeping them awake throughout the day!
Conclusion
If you are organising a conference or event, everyone understands that it can be daunting. But by following these simple tips, you can help make sure that your team event or conference is successful and enjoyable for everyone involved. Remember, have a solid plan, be organised, have clear messages/goals, book an impactful speaker, and keep energy high!
If you are hosting an event and looking for a speaker to invigorate, energise and inspire your audience, get in touch today.
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