Thursday 12 August 2010
Tuesday 3 August 2010
How to plan the perfect conference in Leicester
1. Book early
To avoid disappointment, it is always advisable to book any venue early. Although Leicester offers numerous conference venues they do get booked in advance and therefore many people do not obtain their first venue of choice.
Make sure you have agreed your conference date before viewing any venues. This will place you in the perfect position to be able to book as soon as you have found the venue you desire. Some people even book their Leicester venue six months in advance to the actual conference.
2. Plan an agenda
The worst conferences are those that are not well structured. If your attendees have no idea what the plan for the event is then there is no sense of order.
However, with a clear agenda, your attendees will know exactly what will be expected of them and will be able to come fully prepared i.e. business cards, testimonials, small presentations.
Also, by constructing an agenda you will be able to make the most of the time you have throughout the conference in Leicester. This will mean that no time is wasted, your guests will not get bored and it allows for a very professional and efficient conference.
3. Provide refreshments
Whether or not your event is running for 1 hour, 4 hours or a whole day it is vital that you provide tea, coffee and sugar at least. Obviously if it is a whole day event, food will also need to be offered.
Not only is this expected but it will act like the initial watering hole for when people arrive at your conference.
Leicester boasts several catering firms that will be more than happy to cater such events and are able to do so for whatever budget.
4. Allow for networking
Whether your event is for colleges within the same company or for employees representing different organisations, networking will always take place and therefore by incorporating this into your agenda you will not lose any time by people chatting.
5. Relax and enjoy yourself
The main thing you need to remember is to relax. If the individual hosting the conference Leicester is not happy and comfortable then your attendees will pick up on this vibe and not enjoy themselves either.
If you plan well in advance, keep calm and fully inform your attendees with plenty of notice then you will be able to organise a fun, informative and well executed conference in Leicester.
To avoid disappointment, it is always advisable to book any venue early. Although Leicester offers numerous conference venues they do get booked in advance and therefore many people do not obtain their first venue of choice.
Make sure you have agreed your conference date before viewing any venues. This will place you in the perfect position to be able to book as soon as you have found the venue you desire. Some people even book their Leicester venue six months in advance to the actual conference.
2. Plan an agenda
The worst conferences are those that are not well structured. If your attendees have no idea what the plan for the event is then there is no sense of order.
However, with a clear agenda, your attendees will know exactly what will be expected of them and will be able to come fully prepared i.e. business cards, testimonials, small presentations.
Also, by constructing an agenda you will be able to make the most of the time you have throughout the conference in Leicester. This will mean that no time is wasted, your guests will not get bored and it allows for a very professional and efficient conference.
3. Provide refreshments
Whether or not your event is running for 1 hour, 4 hours or a whole day it is vital that you provide tea, coffee and sugar at least. Obviously if it is a whole day event, food will also need to be offered.
Not only is this expected but it will act like the initial watering hole for when people arrive at your conference.
Leicester boasts several catering firms that will be more than happy to cater such events and are able to do so for whatever budget.
4. Allow for networking
Whether your event is for colleges within the same company or for employees representing different organisations, networking will always take place and therefore by incorporating this into your agenda you will not lose any time by people chatting.
5. Relax and enjoy yourself
The main thing you need to remember is to relax. If the individual hosting the conference Leicester is not happy and comfortable then your attendees will pick up on this vibe and not enjoy themselves either.
If you plan well in advance, keep calm and fully inform your attendees with plenty of notice then you will be able to organise a fun, informative and well executed conference in Leicester.
Monday 26 July 2010
How to plan your event menu at a Venue Leicester
1. Think about your guests
Despite what type of event you are having, whether it is a wedding, party or wake, you will be having a mixture of people coming to the venue in Leicester. Therefore, you need to consider your guests ages, if anyone suffers from any allergies and cultures. As Leicester is a city full of different ethnicities and cultures you may wish to bring these differing elements into your menu.
If you are going to have small children running around your Leicester venue, it is advisable to have food that they will be able to eat without making a massive mess.
Next you need to take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue and how many people are expected to arrive. This will help you to determine how much food will need to be prepared and thus have an influence over which food you choose.
2. Sit down meal or buffet?
After you have an idea of numbers you’ll need to decide whether you are going to provide a sit down meal or a buffet? Either of these choices still allows for good food to be provided, the only difference is that they tend to create a different atmosphere.
3. Sit down meal
Organising a sit down meal will make the mood in your Leicester venue somewhat formal. It also prevents people from talking so easily to a mixture of other guests as they are more relegated to the table they are sat on. However, by creating a more serious air it also encourages attendees to take the event more seriously.
Also opting for a sit down meal enables you to serve different courses. But, do take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue. A sit down meal obviously requires tables and enough seats for every guest and there needs to be enough room. The venue facilities will also need to be checked as a meal of this kind will require onsite preparation.
4. Buffet meal
This is often a cheaper and so more favoured option. It also allows for a wider variety in choices and thus appeals to more attendees.
Also with this option you do not necessarily have to provide table space for everyone and therefore is the room in your venue Leicester is not sufficient for a sit down meal this a viable alternative. Also, as buffet food is generally cold, your venue does not require kitchen facilities and can be prepared offsite and brought to the venue afterwards.
Despite what type of event you are having, whether it is a wedding, party or wake, you will be having a mixture of people coming to the venue in Leicester. Therefore, you need to consider your guests ages, if anyone suffers from any allergies and cultures. As Leicester is a city full of different ethnicities and cultures you may wish to bring these differing elements into your menu.
If you are going to have small children running around your Leicester venue, it is advisable to have food that they will be able to eat without making a massive mess.
Next you need to take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue and how many people are expected to arrive. This will help you to determine how much food will need to be prepared and thus have an influence over which food you choose.
2. Sit down meal or buffet?
After you have an idea of numbers you’ll need to decide whether you are going to provide a sit down meal or a buffet? Either of these choices still allows for good food to be provided, the only difference is that they tend to create a different atmosphere.
3. Sit down meal
Organising a sit down meal will make the mood in your Leicester venue somewhat formal. It also prevents people from talking so easily to a mixture of other guests as they are more relegated to the table they are sat on. However, by creating a more serious air it also encourages attendees to take the event more seriously.
Also opting for a sit down meal enables you to serve different courses. But, do take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue. A sit down meal obviously requires tables and enough seats for every guest and there needs to be enough room. The venue facilities will also need to be checked as a meal of this kind will require onsite preparation.
4. Buffet meal
This is often a cheaper and so more favoured option. It also allows for a wider variety in choices and thus appeals to more attendees.
Also with this option you do not necessarily have to provide table space for everyone and therefore is the room in your venue Leicester is not sufficient for a sit down meal this a viable alternative. Also, as buffet food is generally cold, your venue does not require kitchen facilities and can be prepared offsite and brought to the venue afterwards.
Monday 19 July 2010
Questions to ask when booking your Leicester venue
When searching for event venues some people can become too excitable when they find the perfect Leicester venue and forget to ask vital questions. Here is a list of 6 questions you should ask before signing on the dotted line.1. Is my date available?
Before attending any Leicester venue viewings you need to have you event date confirmed in your mind.
There is no point in setting your heart on one particular Leicester venue if it is not available the date you need it. It is best to ask this question before you arrange a viewing to prevent wasting your time.
2. Will any other events be taking place on the same day?
If you wish to hire the entire venue for your event you will need to ensure that no other event shall be taking place on the same day.
However if you shall only be using this particular venue for half the day or will only require one specific room for the entire event then sharing the venue will not be problematic.
Ensure that you the members of staff from your Leicester venue fully understand your requirements for your event.
3. How many parking spaces do they provide?
If many of your guests are travelling by car then you will need to consider where they are going to park whilst attending your event.
If the venue does not provide adequate car parking then you shall have to research where they will be able to park.
4. Are you able to bring in external caterers?
Some venues in Leicester only deal with their in-house caterers and so you do not need to hunt for a catering company.
However, if you wish to use a particular catering service then you may need to do some negotiation with the venue or even pay a small fee. This fee is sometimes a set rate or can depend upon how many guests you have attending.
5. Do they hold an alcohol licence?
This is often a deciding factor for individuals searching for a venue in Leicester. Obviously is the venue does not hold a license then you will not be able to provide alcohol of any sort at your event.
6. Are you able to provide your own decorations?
If your venue is needed to hold a wedding reception or party you may wish to decorate the rooms/venue in a specific way, however not all Leicester venues allow you to do this.
However, if this is the case, the Leicester venue will provide their own decorations that should be very suitable.
Thursday 15 July 2010
What should be the duration of your conference in Leicester?
1 – 2 hours
When a conference drags out over a long period of time the audience generally tend to lose interest and therefore do not pay attention to what you are saying. Taking this into consideration, planning a short and concise conference in Leicester allows you to pass on your information and leave. The audience have no time to switch off and so no time is wasted on your part or theirs.
However, by having such a short conference it may be hard to fit in all the extra elements besides the presentation(s), such as networking, refreshments, a break. Also some people may see it as more of a seminar in Leicester, rather than a conference.
3 – 4 hours
This is often the typical length of a conference in Leicester. With this amount of time available, it allows you to be quite flexible when it comes to fitting in presentations and networking. It also offers you the option to fit in a guest speaker and even an interactive section.
Opting for 4 hours also enables you to offer food and therefore keep us the energy levels of the audience and encourage them to network.
However, do be careful to not completely fill the allocated time with presentations. Although it may be tempting to employ all this time to pass on information and try to sell your services to your attendees, this will simply put them off.
Aim to make the Leicester conference fun and interesting to keep your attendees interested and alert.
4 hours +
It is quite rare to find a conference in Leicester that lasts for longer than 4 hours. Not only does this mean that you will have to require food for two meals but it is also probable that your attendees with either leave before the end or become extremely bored and not pay you any attention at all.
However, choosing to host a conference in Leicester that does run over 4 hours can offer some very interesting alternatives. For example, you may be able to have a conference that runs over night and thus organise a game of laser quest, a pub quiz or a meal out. You could also apply a far more relaxed approach and have an exhibition section with intervals of presentations, question and answer sections and even a raffle of some business services.
But, if you do choose this option you will need to offer several elements to ensure your attendees will not leave early as asking for more than 4 hours of people’s time is quite ambitious.
When a conference drags out over a long period of time the audience generally tend to lose interest and therefore do not pay attention to what you are saying. Taking this into consideration, planning a short and concise conference in Leicester allows you to pass on your information and leave. The audience have no time to switch off and so no time is wasted on your part or theirs.
However, by having such a short conference it may be hard to fit in all the extra elements besides the presentation(s), such as networking, refreshments, a break. Also some people may see it as more of a seminar in Leicester, rather than a conference.
3 – 4 hours
This is often the typical length of a conference in Leicester. With this amount of time available, it allows you to be quite flexible when it comes to fitting in presentations and networking. It also offers you the option to fit in a guest speaker and even an interactive section.
Opting for 4 hours also enables you to offer food and therefore keep us the energy levels of the audience and encourage them to network.
However, do be careful to not completely fill the allocated time with presentations. Although it may be tempting to employ all this time to pass on information and try to sell your services to your attendees, this will simply put them off.
Aim to make the Leicester conference fun and interesting to keep your attendees interested and alert.
4 hours +
It is quite rare to find a conference in Leicester that lasts for longer than 4 hours. Not only does this mean that you will have to require food for two meals but it is also probable that your attendees with either leave before the end or become extremely bored and not pay you any attention at all.
However, choosing to host a conference in Leicester that does run over 4 hours can offer some very interesting alternatives. For example, you may be able to have a conference that runs over night and thus organise a game of laser quest, a pub quiz or a meal out. You could also apply a far more relaxed approach and have an exhibition section with intervals of presentations, question and answer sections and even a raffle of some business services.
But, if you do choose this option you will need to offer several elements to ensure your attendees will not leave early as asking for more than 4 hours of people’s time is quite ambitious.
Tuesday 13 July 2010
How to plan your event menu
1. Think about your guests
Despite what type of event you are having, whether it is a wedding, party or wake, you will be having a mixture of people coming to the venue in Leicester. Therefore, you need to consider your guests ages, if anyone suffers from any allergies and cultures. As Leicester is a city full of different ethnicities and cultures you may wish to bring these differing elements into your menu.
If you are going to have small children running around your Leicester venue, it is advisable to have food that they will be able to eat without making a massive mess.
Next you need to take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue and how many people are expected to arrive. This will help you to determine how much food will need to be prepared and thus have an influence over which food you choose.
2. Sit down meal or buffet?
After you have an idea of numbers you’ll need to decide whether you are going to provide a sit down meal or a buffet? Either of these choices still allows for good food to be provided, the only difference is that they tend to create a different atmosphere.
2.1 Sit down meal
Organising a sit down meal will make the mood in your Leicester venue somewhat formal. It also prevents people from talking so easily to a mixture of other guests as they are more relegated to the table they are sat on. However, by creating a more serious air it also encourages attendees to take the event more seriously.
Also opting for a sit down meal enables you to serve different courses. But, do take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue. A sit down meal obviously requires tables and enough seats for every guest and there needs to be enough room. The venue facilities will also need to be checked as a meal of this kind will require onsite preparation.
2.2 Buffet meal
This is often a cheaper and so more favoured option. It also allows for a wider variety in choices and thus appeals to more attendees.
Also with this option you do not necessarily have to provide table space for everyone and therefore is the room in your Leicester venue is not sufficient for a sit down meal this a viable alternative. Also, as buffet food is generally cold, your venue does not require kitchen facilities and can be prepared offsite and brought to the venue afterwards.
Despite what type of event you are having, whether it is a wedding, party or wake, you will be having a mixture of people coming to the venue in Leicester. Therefore, you need to consider your guests ages, if anyone suffers from any allergies and cultures. As Leicester is a city full of different ethnicities and cultures you may wish to bring these differing elements into your menu.
If you are going to have small children running around your Leicester venue, it is advisable to have food that they will be able to eat without making a massive mess.
Next you need to take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue and how many people are expected to arrive. This will help you to determine how much food will need to be prepared and thus have an influence over which food you choose.
2. Sit down meal or buffet?
After you have an idea of numbers you’ll need to decide whether you are going to provide a sit down meal or a buffet? Either of these choices still allows for good food to be provided, the only difference is that they tend to create a different atmosphere.
2.1 Sit down meal
Organising a sit down meal will make the mood in your Leicester venue somewhat formal. It also prevents people from talking so easily to a mixture of other guests as they are more relegated to the table they are sat on. However, by creating a more serious air it also encourages attendees to take the event more seriously.
Also opting for a sit down meal enables you to serve different courses. But, do take into consideration the size of your Leicester venue. A sit down meal obviously requires tables and enough seats for every guest and there needs to be enough room. The venue facilities will also need to be checked as a meal of this kind will require onsite preparation.
2.2 Buffet meal
This is often a cheaper and so more favoured option. It also allows for a wider variety in choices and thus appeals to more attendees.
Also with this option you do not necessarily have to provide table space for everyone and therefore is the room in your Leicester venue is not sufficient for a sit down meal this a viable alternative. Also, as buffet food is generally cold, your venue does not require kitchen facilities and can be prepared offsite and brought to the venue afterwards.
Monday 12 July 2010
Five mistakes to avoid when planning a Conference in Leicester
1. Poor attendee count
When inviting people to your conference in Leicester ensure that you get an extra 10% above your capacity limit to confirm their attendance. It is a fact that up to 30% of people who say they are attending an event do not turn up, even if they pay. Therefore it is important that you over book your Leicester conference in order to ensure a good number actually show up.
2. Poor food
A huge mistake many people make when planning a conference is providing poor food. It is a fact that your attendees will be looking forward to being fed and if the food available is not to a good standard it will dampen the mood of the whole conference, as no one likes to be hungry. As with a tummy full of food they will have a boost of energy and therefore interest in what you are saying.
You may choose a sit down meal if the Leicester conference is formal, or perhaps a buffet option is more appropriate if you are trying to create a more relaxed atmosphere.
3. Poor content
No one wants to attend a conference, in Leicester or anywhere else, where you feel like falling asleep after half an hour. Therefore, no matter how dull your information is, apply different and exciting methods to express it to your audience. By jazzing up the presentation of your information you will entice your attendees to actually pay attention and not switch off.
Aim to spread out the dullest information and inject episodes of audience involvement to get the most out of your attendees. These injections of interaction can include group brainstorming, something that causes them to get out of their seats or a kind of competition.
4. Poor venue
Although you may have a very tight budget for you conference in Leicester, do not make the mistake of booking a dirty and run down venue. If anything it should be the venue that costs the most.
5. Poor host
Another major mistake made by many people is utilising someone rather dull to present at the conference. Therefore, even if the information you are trying to project is very interesting it will not come across this way and any interest the audience had will be diminished.
However, arranging someone full of energy, excitable and confident will create a very different atmosphere and encourage your attendees to take on board what is being said and get involved with any audience interaction.
When inviting people to your conference in Leicester ensure that you get an extra 10% above your capacity limit to confirm their attendance. It is a fact that up to 30% of people who say they are attending an event do not turn up, even if they pay. Therefore it is important that you over book your Leicester conference in order to ensure a good number actually show up.
2. Poor food
A huge mistake many people make when planning a conference is providing poor food. It is a fact that your attendees will be looking forward to being fed and if the food available is not to a good standard it will dampen the mood of the whole conference, as no one likes to be hungry. As with a tummy full of food they will have a boost of energy and therefore interest in what you are saying.
You may choose a sit down meal if the Leicester conference is formal, or perhaps a buffet option is more appropriate if you are trying to create a more relaxed atmosphere.
3. Poor content
No one wants to attend a conference, in Leicester or anywhere else, where you feel like falling asleep after half an hour. Therefore, no matter how dull your information is, apply different and exciting methods to express it to your audience. By jazzing up the presentation of your information you will entice your attendees to actually pay attention and not switch off.
Aim to spread out the dullest information and inject episodes of audience involvement to get the most out of your attendees. These injections of interaction can include group brainstorming, something that causes them to get out of their seats or a kind of competition.
4. Poor venue
Although you may have a very tight budget for you conference in Leicester, do not make the mistake of booking a dirty and run down venue. If anything it should be the venue that costs the most.
5. Poor host
Another major mistake made by many people is utilising someone rather dull to present at the conference. Therefore, even if the information you are trying to project is very interesting it will not come across this way and any interest the audience had will be diminished.
However, arranging someone full of energy, excitable and confident will create a very different atmosphere and encourage your attendees to take on board what is being said and get involved with any audience interaction.
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