In our 30 years of conference and event experience, we have been involved with thousands of events across many different industries. There has undoubtedly been considerable evolution over that time, but there are some fundamental tenets that are constant and present in the most successful events:
Be Organized
Our most successful clients are our most organized clients. They know their event exceptionally well, understand what is required to make it happen, and have all the details under control. They typically work on a detailed but not overly complex project plan that includes area, description, and date.
Listen and Learn
Be willing to listen to both your attendees and also the experts. While you are the person who knows and understands your event the best, sometimes it pays to listen to different perspectives, especially from the people that attend events as their job. They will often see something at another event that could be incorporated into your event.
Make Measured Decisions
After you have listened, consider your options, take your time. Think about who is asking for the changes – is it a majority of attendees? Will this solution result in a different problem? Do you need a backup plan? Ask questions of your solution provider – are there other options? Can we make it simpler?
Be Courageous
You have to be in it to win it! Take a (measured) risk if you think it will improve your event. We have many long-term clients with repeat events – but believe me, their events are never the same year on year. They are constantly evolving, being courageous, and trying new things to make their event the best it can be.