3 things you should consider for planning your next conference in 2023

3 things you should consider for planning your next conference in 2023

january 2023 is here and its time to start planning your next conference. but before we dive into the planning, there are a few things to consider. gone are the days of assuming every conference will be an in-person event as post pandemic life has highlighted the benefits of hybrid and virtual events. now more than ever, the technology to run a virtual conference platform uk is so sleek we need to consider what style of conference is going to be most beneficial. but before we go any further, we have broken down the top 3 things to consider before planning your next conference in 2023.

 

to virtual or not to virtual 

the new normal is virtual, or is it? when planning your conference you need to decide in what format you would like your event to run. whether that is using a virtual event platform uk or deciding on an in-person conference. it is important to weigh up the benefits of all options. for in-person you can have better connections so if networking is an important part of your event perhaps an in-person conference is the route you want to go. however if your event is very presentation heavy and more of a lecture, perhaps virtual is a better route to go down. then of course you have hybrid which really offers the best of both worlds, but it is a more expensive route so do you have the budget to see this project through? 

we like to think our hubseven platform offers a virtual event but with in-person benefits. for example, the use of polls. speakers can ask guests questions that allow guests to interact and prevent fatigue/lack of interest in the presentations. not only this but we can enable live q&a so that level of interactivity does remain in a virtual conference platform uk.

we take the brief from our clients and adapt to what would work best for them. it is important to decide your goals for the conference and then make a decision on in-person, hybrid or virtual to get the best out of your conference in 2023.

 

guest attendance

although we hate to still be talking about the pandemic, it really has affected guests’ attendance at events. people now only want to attend events when they are benefitting from attending. we have found this in 2022 to be true and we are planning now for a similar pattern in 2023. so what can we pre-plan to ensure guest attendance at conferences is at an all time high. and the answer is simple, incentivise! now we aren’t saying you have to persuade people to attend your conference with a magnum of champagne and an all inclusive holiday to the maldives (although if that is your budget we can do that), but perhaps focussing on the subject, or date of the conference, or even setting a fomo (fear of missing out) to the conference. lets break this down:

subject – the subject topics of your conference is really important to increase guest attendance. if the subject is the same as previous years or has nothing new to offer, why would anyone attend? get creative with content and research into what your guests want to hear and why.

date – the date of your conference is really important. if you are using a virtual event platform uk perhaps winter is a better time to plan your conference. when guests are likely to be home. and if summer is when your conference needs to be then opt for an in-person event. throw in some pimms and you are guaranteed guests.

fomo – this is the most important. create fomo around your event, make it so guests don’t want to miss out on your event because it is the best.

 

sustainability

and finally we have sustainability, which should be on the forefront of everyone’s minds currently. before planning your conference 2023 you should be considering sustainability. whether that is a sustainable venue, or a sustainable catering company, or perhaps that helps you decide on using a virtual conference platform uk and opting for a fully sustainable conference.

there is a lot to plan for and we are here to help. we pride ourselves in our conference planning in-person, hybrid and virtually. so give us a call on +44 (0) 207 659 4430 or get in contact at info@sevenevents.co.uk.