Telling people to join an academic conference isn’t easy. Unless you’re from an established organisation and you have deep connections with academe and other industries, you might find it challenging to look for possible attendees.
You need to work hard if you’re still building a reputation in the industry. These are some tips to convince people to take part in the conference that you’re organising.
Highlight the speaker
Some people feel enticed to join a conference if they know the keynote speaker. When this person has a recent discovery or is a legend in the field, many people would love to be there and listen to the speech in person. If you can find a way to entice a quality speaker, it will be a huge deal.
Advertise across all platforms
Even academic professionals and industry experts are tech-savvy. Therefore, you need to use online platforms if you wish to reach out to them. You can still send emails, but you run the risk of getting ignored. When you post information online, it’s easy for you to attract attention.
Give rewards
You need to offer possible prizes for attendees. Certificates are a must since the attendees could use them for a job promotion, or to improve their portfolio. You can also hand out freebie bags if you have sponsors. The pack contains things needed for the conference and other unique items. If there are research presentations, you can offer an option to publish the results in journals.
Find the best venue
You need to look for large conference venues that can fit a lot of people. You also need to stick with popular places since it’s a sign that you’re organising a legitimate conference. For some attendees, these conferences are also a break from their usual routine. They want to know that they’re getting a fantastic venue. If there are tourist destinations nearby, you can also include it in the advertising. You can even offer a local tour as a part of the package.
Don’t bloat the registration cost
Some people want to attend the event, and they understand the essence of the conference. The problem is when you ask for a considerable registration fee. Apart from that, they need to book their flights and look for a place to stay. You need to find a way to reduce the expense. If you can offer a package that includes affordable accommodation, it would be better.
Be patient
When you have already done everything to promote the event, you need to be patient in waiting for people to register. Continue following up with the possible attendees and use your connections. You will get to your target number at some point. It also helps if you keep posting additional information to push people to make their decision.
Hopefully, your efforts will pay off, and you can entice the industry’s best to come. Next time, organising a huge event won’t be so difficult.
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