Planning a conference can be quite challenging even for the most experienced people. It gets even harder when it comes to planning an international one. Besides thinking of things such as venue and speakers, there come added challenges such as language barriers and cultural differences. In addition, these people are traveling from far and wide. There is always the pressure to provide the best experience from when they land until they leave. Knowing what you need can make the process easier for you. That being said, here is a checklist to make sure that your next international conference is a success.

A good plan

They say that failing to plan is planning to fail. Make sure that you have a plan in place. Your plan should start with your goal for the conference. Ask yourself what you want to achieve with your international event. Every subsequent work should focus on achieving this goal.

Next in your plan should be defining your audience. Put into consideration their interests, preferences, age, religion, culture, language, and more. Knowing your audience will determine things like catering, décor, schedule, marketing, and such. For instance, the schedule needs to allow time for prayers if a part of the audience prays at a certain time of the day.

Another thing to include in your plan is a budget. A budget will help you stay within your financial constraints to make sure that you don’t overspend. It can also be a good way to determine areas where you can save.

A team

An international conference is a huge event that can be difficult to handle on your own. If you are to succeed, you need a dedicated team to work with. For starters, you need a planner to help you with things such as venue booking, décor, and arranging travel and accommodation for speakers. A good planner also ensures that everything runs smoothly on the day of the event.

You also need people to handle marketing and communication. These individuals will help you make sure that the message about your event reaches your audience appropriately and in good time. You can also have administrators to help answer people’s questions and handle ticketing and the like.

Language support

An international conference comes with people who speak different languages. You want to make sure that everyone follows the conference in a language that he or she understands. For this reason, arranging for interpretation is critical.

The first thing that you need to have is professional interpreters. Keep in mind that your attendees need to receive the message as the speakers intended it to. This means that you need interpreters with excellent knowledge of the target languages. They also need to be subject matter experts and have an understanding of different cultures.

In addition, ensure that you have all the necessary equipment. Conference interpretation requires soundproof booths, transmitters, receivers, and push to talk microphones. You also need simultaneous translation headset for interactive discussions. The delegates push a button when they want to speak when using these microphones. The good thing about these microphones is that you don’t have to worry about feedback and noise when someone is speaking. You can also integrate them with a video conferencing system for virtual events.

Venue

It goes without saying that you need a place to hold your international conference. However, keep in mind that the venue you choose can have a huge impact on the overall experience of your guests. Consider acoustics and lighting for a smooth event. If you are hosting a hybrid event, make sure that the venue has all the tech that you need. If you have to bring your tech, ensure that it can be connected.

In addition, keep in mind the cost. You don’t want to go over your budget while at it. It is also important to consider its proximity to the airport, public transport, and accommodation facilities.

Event marketing strategy

People won’t know about your conference unless you tell them. To do this effectively, you need a sure-proof marketing strategy. Think of how you are going to publicize it. Which content are you going to create? When is it going to be shared? What audience is for which content?

You can use your social media platforms to share content such as interviews with key speakers. You can also create posts with hashtags to push for conversations. Also, consider building an event website to share the same content and provide info about the event. a website can also come in handy with bookings and registrations.

Conclusion

Planning and hosting an international event doesn’t have to be an uphill task. With the knowledge of what you should have, everything becomes easy. Start with a good plan and select a team to help you. Then choose an appropriate venue and plan for language support. Having a marketing strategy ensures that your event is publicized successfully.