Keys to organizing face-to-face and virtual congresses

Organizing a congress is a great opportunity to keep in touch with your audience and generate business opportunities.

When organizing a congress, the organizational aspects will be at the discretion of the entity that carries it out, who will be in charge of its management and promotion.

The starting point will be a topic that attracts the attention of a certain audience, which has the same or similar professional in common, and the desire to interact with other individuals to dialogue, share and learn.

All aspects must be planned well in advance, so that they can be completed in a timely manner, in order to correctly manage the times and ensure compliance, since a delay in some of the programmed tasks will affect the success of the congress.

In this way, it must be considered that each congress is a unique event that cannot be organized by applying a uniform and pre-established pattern, since each one has its own characteristics that must be respected in a particular way.

In any case, three major steps can be established in your organization that are necessary:

1. Planning

2. Development

3. Post congress

Within each of the steps, certain tasks and functions can be differentiated by different managers of the organization.

The step-by-step plan follows.

STEP 1

A) Define the congress. This moment involves describing the event and knowing its components. In this way, the following must be defined and determined:

1. Nature of the congress: It refers to the papers and presentations that defines the nature of the congress (scientific, cultural, economic, etc.).

2. Completion date, duration and days in the week when it will be held.

3. General and specific objectives.

4. Organizational structure: Definition of the president and the organizational committees: leadership, scientific, technical and honor.

5. Selection of the venue for the event: It can be a convention center or a hotel, considering the layout of the rooms for the main, parallel and exhibition meetings, audiovisual media and translation equipment.

6. Participants: These are divided into congressmen and speakers, whether invited or participate on their own initiative.

7. Sponsors and financial resources. Manage all the financial resources necessary for the proper functioning of the event, taking into account possible unforeseen situations.

8. Human capital and logistical resources. The event organizer or the institution must be in charge of this task.

9. Schedule that details the completion times for each task.

10. Design and printing of all the graphic material for the congress (promotional brochure, posters, registration cards, sheets, envelopes, tickets, access IDs, etc.)

B) Create a communication plan using notes, promotional brochures, internet, posters, gazettes, interviews, advertising campaigns, etc. as priority media. This plan can consist of a first announcement or preliminary program that creates expectation and a second announcement that reveals the previously unknown details. Do not forget to use social networks and invite important personalities within the field to support the event.

C) Control and manage the registration process, and establish the registration and entry management system.

D) Hold regular meetings with the members of the different committees to discuss issues related to the progress of each of the aspects of the congress.

E) Contract resources and support for the development of the congress:

• Personnel: Select managers, coordinators, assistants, interpreters, accreditation and documentation managers, ceremonial and protocol personnel, etc.

• Materials: Computers, photocopiers, folders, bags, pens, badges, flags, air conditioning systems, etc.

• Services: Sound, projectors, signage, security, tourism (transport, accommodation, reception of authorities, pro and post event tours), medical emergencies, photographs, communications (telephone, internet, etc.), catering, gifts, etc.

F) Prepare documentation for congressmen and attendees.

G) Make the list of special guests, relevant authorities and speakers. Try to send the invitations in time and confirm attendance in a personalized way.

H) Plan, if necessary, press conferences before and after the congress.

STEP 2

A) A couple of days in advance of the the congress, form an area at headquarters that is in charge of:

• Constitute a point of contact and operations.

• Hold a meeting with the headquarters staff to meet the personnel assigned to collaborate with the event.

• Bring the necessary material and equipment, previously making a list of activities to be carried out.

• Prepare the final program for delivery to the participants and speakers on the first day of the event.

• Hold a prior press conference, with the assistance of local, national and international media, depending on the scope of the congress.

B) During the congress, perform the following tasks:

• Register the participants.

• Submit documentation.

• Accredit the participants. There must be several counters to cover various functions: information, for press-registered congressmen and for new registrations.

• Receive official and private authorities.

• Organize the opening of the congress: The opening ceremony (official opening) and the welcome cocktail are held. Invitations to authorities, entry protocol, table chair, lectern, flags and ornamentation must be foreseen.

C) Assembly the room for work sessions. Consider its equipment and operability, scenery and ornamentation. Don't forget to train the room staff.

D) Coffee breaks and work lunches: Inform the headquarters 48 hours in advance of the estimated participants for each service. For breaks during the morning and afternoon, it is sufficient to show the credential, while for lunches, it is advisable to include entry tickets in the congressmen's folder to keep an entry control.

E) Gala Dinner: Verify the assembly of the room and service quality. It is necessary to bear in mind the protocol rules regarding the preparation and sending of invitations, reception of authorities, placement of diners, dinner sequence, etc.

F) Closing act (official closing of the congress): Consider the protocol guidelines both prior to and during the development of the act.

STEP 3

A) Once the congress is over, you must carry out the following tasks:

• Carry out the post-congress tours.

• Organize a press conference to present and publicize the conclusions. You can add a folder with a press summary and personalized audiovisual material to deliver to the press.

• Complete pending payments and prepare the budget closing.

• Analyze and evaluate the surveys carried out to the participants.

• Send thank you notes to authorities, invited speakers and lecturers, members of the Honor Committee, among others.

• Prepare a final report with: programs and papers presented, conferences, presentations, conclusions, recommendations, number of participants, final presentation and comprehensive evaluation of the congress.

You can also hold your congress virtually or combine face-to-face presentations with virtual platforms through hybrid systems.

Here are some recommendations to make your virtual event a surprising experience:

"Success is the sum of small efforts repeated every other day."

Robert Collier

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DanielaSánchezSilva©