Across all industries, conferences are vital to professional development and collaboration. They serve as invaluable communication, learning, and networking opportunities, uniting participants and driving ongoing innovations.
Ultimately, achieving your organization’s objectives largely depends on how effectively a conference is planned and managed, beginning with the initial conception and going through the final wrap-up.
Miller Tanner Associates is a trusted partner in conference planning and management services, assisting a myriad of organizations in navigating a conference’s logistical and creative challenges.
What is Conference Planning & Management?
Conference planning and management services are designed to support an organization in strategizing, designing, and executing a conference oriented explicitly to a specific set of objectives.
Because there is a high level of detail (and a significant amount of time) involved in the conference planning process, many organizations choose to partner with a professional team for the best possible results. MTA facilitates conference planning and management services tailored to your organization’s needs, including your budget, goals, and others.
Planning and managing a conference is a complex process, one that is comprised of several foundational components:
Developing goals and objectives
Establishing the goals and objectives of a conference is an essential part of the overall strategy. Understanding the intended purpose of your conference is paramount and should be achieved before you move forward with any other aspect of planning. As you progress through conference planning, we will continue to refer back to your goals and objectives to ensure we are staying on track.
Understanding attendance needs
Attendance needs will significantly impact various aspects of the conference, from its location and technology requirements to the finalized agenda. We will need a clear idea of how many guests are expected to properly account for seating, conference materials, food, beverages, etc.
Beyond the number of guests, you should also determine if any international guests are attending the conference. If so, there may be a need for multilingual services, such as translation. The MTA team can help you set up services to consider the needs of international guests, ensuring an inclusive event across the board.
Determining the conference location and type
Then, the focus can move forward to choosing the location and type of conference.
Generally, conferences fit into one of three categories:
Obviously, in-person and hybrid conferences will require a physical venue. For virtual conferences, other arrangements will need to be made.
Focusing on diversity and accessibility
Failing to prioritize diversity and inclusion can severely affect your conference, leaving attendees feeling unwelcome, out of place, or unappreciated. Because data shows that diverse teams are more likely to drive innovation, increased profits, and other benefits, more and more businesses are supporting diversity – which extends to event planning.
By considering simple yet effective, strategies for inclusion and diversity in conference planning, you can demonstrate an authentic commitment to serving all attendees.
Understanding technology needs and behind-the-scenes requirements
What happens behind the scenes can make or break a conference, particularly when it comes to technology. With MTA by your side, you can ensure that you have effectively addressed all requirements for a seamless event. We will consider every detail, from lightning and sound to virtual meeting platforms.
Developing the conference agenda and selecting speakers
A conference agenda, including the speakers, should represent your organization’s mission and values and a positive illustration of your credibility. The MTA experts will work with you to structure an agenda that balances various types of activities, nurtures collaboration, and engages your attendees.
Cutting-Edge Collaborative Conference Planning & Management – Contact Miller Tanner Associates
At MTA, we have decades of experience providing conference management and planning services on a global scale. Our unique, interdisciplinary team is equipped with the skills needed to support even the most complex of needs, helping your organization pinpoint and achieve your objectives with well-executed event experiences.
We are committed to a high standard of excellence and take pride in planning and managing professional events that provide outstanding value to everyone involved.
Contact us today for more information about our conference planning services or to begin organizing your next conference!
