Organizing and hosting a successful conference is often a challenge. No matter what the purpose of the conference, you want to make sure it is memorable and worthwhile for your audience. A conference dinner is a great way to bring everyone together and leave a lasting impression. Whether you are celebrating or teaching, a conference dinner is inviting and engaging. It also helps makes sure your audience will be seated and paying attention to the message you have to send. Of course, if you don't have a great message with great delivery, then your conference dinner won't be a success. Utilizing an after dinner speaker at your conference is a great way to make it the successful event you want it to be.
The Right Food
One of the most important steps in planning a successful conference dinner is the food. You want to have food and beverage options that will be inviting to your guests. While traditional dishes are always a good idea, it's essential to have variety. There are many special considerations you should keep in mind, like food allergies and other dietary restrictions. If your menu is too limited, then you will alienate some of your guests, and they may not be engaged with the true purpose of your conference.
When you are picking the food, you want to be sure there are plenty of options—and plenty of food. Running out of a dish or not having adequate drinks for all your guests is a crucial mistake. While it's certainly important to stick to a budget, you don't want to risk not having enough. If your attendees are hungry and thirsty, they aren't going to listen to what you have to say.
Having an Agenda
In order to host a successful conference dinner, you need an agenda. If your plan is just get everyone in a room and start serving food, then your conference won't accomplish much. Making it clear to your guests when the program starts, when they should be seated, and when they can be expected to eat are all very important parts of the conference dinner. Guests should arrive knowing exactly when they are going to be fed. If they think there is going to be food right away and you make them wait for hours, then you are going to lose the attention and respect of your attendees.
Publishing the agenda prior to the conference is a good idea so your attendees will show up when you want them to be there. Having printed programs available when guests check in is also important. Don't expect that all of your guests will remember the agenda or know exactly what's expected of them at your conference dinner. Obviously they are expecting to eat, but let them know what else is in store. Mentioning any activities you have planned is important, as is giving information about your after dinner speaker.
The Right After Dinner Speaker
While the food is certainly important—after all, who is going to focus on what you have to say if their stomachs are growling—the key to the success of a conference dinner is the after dinner speaker. After a long day at a conference, the last thing anyone wants to do is sit around and be bored by yet another presentation. That's why you need to pick your after dinner speaker carefully. Using the UK's specialist bureau for after dinner speakers is one way to make the evening much more memorable.
Your after dinner speaker needs to be able to hold your audience's attention. Your guests have been listening to speakers all day. After a filling meal, they may want to rush to their hotel rooms for the night. If you bring out a great speaker, then you will be able to close out the day with a powerful message that will send them to bed enthused rather than exhausted. Your after dinner speaker needs to be engaging, enjoyable, and relevant. Bringing in a name that people know and are excited about is a great way to boost the morale of your dinner guests. When you close out a great dinner with a great speaker, then you leave an impression of a great conference.
Using a dinner to end a long day of a conference is a great way to bring it all together for your guests. Of course, putting on a successful conference dinner requires careful planning. You need the right food, the right agenda, and the right after dinner speaker. Consider UK's specialist bureau for after dinner speakers. This will make the evening memorable for all of your guests. The food may be important at the time of the conference, but the right after dinner speaker will be important for years to come.
