You’ve been put in charge of planning a conference? Bravo!
You might be feeling a bit overwhelmed because you haven’t mastered the art of planning a conference?
What venue should you choose? Who will your speakers be? What is the theme? How will you fill up the conference with attendees?
If you are a dentist or dental office manager in charge of planning a conference, you’re going to need some guidance and organizational ideas.
Make your conference planning a success with these top 5 tips.
1. Determine a Theme When Conference Planning
What is your conference about? What is your theme? What do you want your guest dentists to take away from the conference?
You should choose a theme and turn it into a catchy name for the conference. Make it something that is relatable to dentists across the board.
Some hot topics right now include “Pedodontics and Geriatric Dentistry” and “Oral Health”.
2. Decide on a Budget For The Conference
Put together a couple of budget plans at different levels and decide which one will provide the best conference experience for your guests.
When budgeting, keep in mind several things:
- venue
- speaker fees
- food and drinks
- marketing
- transportation
- activities
Where are you getting the money? Are you funding it yourself? Are you getting sponsors? Are you applying for a grant?
If you are hoping for sponsorship, look for sponsors who are involved with similar events. Have a plan for how much branding you’ll allow and how involved you want the sponsors to be.
3. Choose a Venue
No matter which venue you choose, you are likely to work with someone who can give you some corporate event planning tips.
You want to research venues that are easy to reach and are in attractive locations. Other important features of a conference location are easily accessible public transportation, nice hotels for a 2+ day conference, and a variety of quality restaurants.
Check out their catering choices and audio/visual capabilities as well.
4. Invite Speakers
Choosing the right speakers is vital to attracting attendees to your conference. You want professional, well-known speakers who have something of value to offer to the dentists you are hoping to attract.
Make a list of potential speakers and begin making phone calls or sending emails.
Remember the earlier you plan, the better chance you have of getting a big name speaker, someone who will motivate others.
5. Market Your Event
Now it is time to get people to attend your conference.
Email or send out mailers to potential attendees. Make a website dedicated to the event.
Include all important details as to what, where, when and why. A registration link or form will make signing up a breeze. Think about offering a group discount to larger dental practices.
A Successful Dental Conference
Conference planning does not have to be intimidating. Follow the tips and start early! Your experience will be pleasant and will result in a successful dental conference.
Explore our blog for more helpful dental-related topics.