When arranging a business conference it’s natural to worry whether it will go off without a hitch. We’ve all been to those conferences that feel like a massive waste of our time after all, so the pressure is on when the time comes to host one of your own.

However, running a successful conference isn’t as difficult as you think. Ultimately it comes down to giving attendees an engaging and valuable experience, with opportunities to network and build relationships with other professionals, new suppliers or customers. Any successful conference will allow this to happen by simply following a few golden rules.

Find the right venue

Your venue is the most important part of your conference, as all your events, networking and exercises hinge on this.

Make sure you choose a conference venue that best suits your needs on the day (find one here). Think about whether the size is appropriate for your event and if guests can easily access it. You also want to make sure they have all inclusive facilities, including Wi-Fi and AV equipment as standard.

Opting for a centre with all inclusive facilities can take a load off your mind when arranging the finer details of a conference. Experts will be on hand to ensure your day runs smoothly, addressing problems before they emerge. This will leave you more time to focus on the main events of the conference.

Consider a venue with restaurant facilities so attendees can refuel and relax during downtime. Making sure guests are well catered for outside of the conference will keep morale high, so opt for a centre with leisure facilities too. A gym and spa means people can wind down and enjoy themselves.

Choose the right speakers

The success of a conference relies on having the right topic speakers. Not only do they need to be experts in their field but their speeches need to be informative, inspirational and filled with useful takeaway messages.

Have the right resources

You need good AV equipment to make sure your topic speakers are heard and can be seen. Having large plasma screens or a projector means that those sat at the back will still be able to take in what is going on.

However, providing this yourself can be costly and difficult to transport. It is best to ensure AV equipment comes as part of your venue package so it will already be ready and waiting. What’s more, support will be on hand to help you set up your equipment in preparation for the conference.

Get the best from human contact

The best way for people to learn is by allowing them opportunities for human contact. Putting a large group of people together in a big room will allow them to communicate with others on an array of business topics is an invaluable opportunity.

Choosing a venue with a community area so people have a space where they can network is also a great idea, for a more informal touch.

Carry on the conference online

Sometimes it is worth continuing a conference online so attendees can build on what they have learned during their own time and have an opportunity to ask questions in a less public environment.

Choosing a venue that comes with free, fast and reliable Wi-Fi will be beneficial for this reason and employees are far more likely to take part if they do not have to foot the data charges.