Function Rooms Perth have put together some useful tips to help organise a stress free successful conference or meeting.
Planning a successful conference or board meeting can seem a little overwhelming and if things go wrong, your conference guests (or your boss) might not be very understanding so there is a lot at stake to ensure your event goes smoothly.
Budget
The all important factor - one which every decision will be based on - how much money is it going to cost? Make sure you plan a budget so you don't overspend, and stick to that budget. If possible have an extra emergency reserve just in case.
Check with the conference venue to make sure you are aware of any hidden costs such as a hire fee for the use of their technical equipment or if your guest stay a little longer in the room than expected, are they going charge you extra? And most importantly check when everything has to be paid, will they want a deposit, will they expect full payment before the conference starts?
Date and Time of Conference
Choose the date of your conference carefully so it doesn't land on a day that could cause some people problems like school holidays or busy times around Christmas. Similar with the time - if it is in the centre of Perth, try to avoid peak hour times, the more you can make the time and date convenient for your guests, the more likely they are going to turn up.
Choice of Conference Venue
Choose the venue very carefully - ideally so it is centrally located, easy to get to, has all the technical facilities you need including high speed reliable WiFi or a microphone and most importantly the venue can definitely fit the capacity of people in the layout that you require. And book it early... Conference venues can get booked out months in advance.
Double check what the venue is offering - does the room hire including free tea/coffee, is there a breakout room, if the venue is providing your guests lunch, check they have vegetarian or gluten free options. Make sure the venue is clear about the total price of the food (what if a guest asks for seconds, will it cost you extra?). What if 5 of your guests don't turn up, is the venue still going to charge you for their meals?
If your conference does go over time, is the venue strict on kicking you out straight away as they may have another conference after yours?
Schedule
Plan the schedule of your conference down to the smallest detail - even the toilet breaks. The venue will need to know when the tea/coffee is to be served, when they will be stopping for lunch, and the time the conference will finish. The little details and a well planned schedule will make a big difference in how smoothly your conference runs.
Double Check Everything
A few days before your conference, double check everything, make sure everyone that has been invited has RSVP and chase up the ones that haven't. Check with the venue that they will definitely have the facilities you need ready to go on the day, that the time and date of the conference is correct and you have given them the final numbers of people attending.
Accommodation
Finally if people are coming from long distances and need to find accommodation, consider venues that offer both. How convenient for your guests to be able to just wander downstairs and walk straight into your conference or meeting instead of having to catch an expensive taxi there and back.
Function Rooms Perth advertises a number of conference venues that offer accommodation while holding your training session or meeting. They can provide a number of convenient overnight stay options for you and your guests from deluxe rooms to serviced apartments and possibly with discounted prices.
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