So you decided to organize a conference. Great! Scientific conferences are important to the professional careers of researchers and doctors. Conferences help keep these professionals up to date with the latest discoveries and studies in their field, and they serve as the perfect place to gather with like-minded people and create meaningful connections with partners or mentors.

For organizations, conferences advance their mission, raise awareness, and build lasting relationships with industry leaders.

Planning the perfect conference that satisfies both attendees and stakeholders is not easy. Organizers juggle the expectations of attendees, speakers, sponsors, and stakeholders, all while ensuring the event aligns with organizational goals and generates a positive return on investment.

Let’s walk through the key steps to hosting a successful STEMM conference and how to use event software to simplify the process.

1. Build Your Dream Team

Large events need more hands on deck. It’s important to surround yourself with reliable and hard-working individuals who can specialize in different parts of the conference planning process. For example, you’ll need someone to handle abstract management—a crucial part of scientific conferences—while others can focus on venue logistics, promotional activities, or speaker coordination. Break down responsibilities and assign them to specialists.

This is also the ideal time to create a timeline for the conference planning process. Use project management tools to set milestones and ensure accountability, helping all team members to stay on track. Hold regular meetings to review the progress and adapt as needed.

2. Set a Realistic Budget (and Stick to It)

Creating a comprehensive event budget is the backbone of your planning process. List your fixed costs, such as venue rental, AV equipment, staffing, accommodation, and catering. Then, add variable costs like promotional activities, awards, and speaker fees. Remember: venue rental could make up a significant portion of your total budget if you’re planning to host an event in a major city like Chicago.

We suggest using Excel or project management software to track your budget in real time. This way, you can adjust for unexpected expenses (such as last-minute venue changes or increased AV needs). Always plan for a contingency fund—approximately 10% of your budget—so you’re prepared for surprises.

3. Select Your Theme and Establish Clear Goals and Objectives

As always, the first step for any action you take as a meeting organizer is setting clear goals and objectives. Know the purpose of hosting this conference: Are you trying to increase attendance numbers? Raise funds? Or enhance your organization’s visibility in this industry? Whatever your objective, setting clear and measurable goals will guide your decisions and help you evaluate success after the event.

One of your goals can be increasing attendance by 10% compared to the previous year. This is easily trackable by comparing the number of tickets sold at the current meeting with past ones. You can even check which of these individuals have attended one of your conferences before and take this as an opportunity to gather feedback. These specific, trackable goals will give your team a target to aim for and enable you to adjust strategies as necessary.

4. Choose your Format

In the wake of the pandemic, virtual and hybrid event formats have grown in popularity. While in-person events remain the standard, adding a virtual component allows for greater flexibility, attracting international attendees who might not have the budget or time to travel. The hybrid format broadens your audience and frees you to feature diverse speakers from different continents without worrying about travel logistics.

Additionally, offering on-demand content is a great way to keep the conversation going long after the event ends. Participants who couldn’t attend every session can catch up later, and those in different time zones will appreciate the flexibility. This format also adds long-term value for sponsors, as their visibility extends beyond the event dates.

5. Select the Venue

Choosing a venue involves more than just picking a space that fits your budget. Whether your conference is in-person or hybrid, there’s much to consider while choosing the best venue for your next meeting. First, it must fit your budget while considering the overall experience you want to create for participants. An academic conference might benefit from a university setting with many lecture halls and breakout rooms. A medical conference, on the other hand, might prefer a hotel with easy access to nearby accommodations and dining options.

Size matters; your venue should comfortably fit the number of attendees without feeling cramped. But don’t forget other factors like sustainability and accessibility. Can the venue accommodate disabled attendees? Does it offer eco-friendly solutions like recycling options? Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the events industry, and organizers should align their events with sustainable initiatives.

6. Build Your Event Website with Strong Branding

Your event website is your primary communication hub, so make it count! This is where attendees will register, submit abstracts, find key event details, and access post-conference materials. Strong branding, including your event’s logo, colors, and overall design aesthetic, will help set the tone and create a memorable experience even before the event begins. Your site should include a countdown to the event, live social media feeds, and easy-to-find links for abstract submission. An intuitive website like this helps build excitement and makes it easier for attendees to stay informed.

7. Choose the Right Event Software and Suppliers

Choosing the right event software can make or break your meeting. It’s a helpful tool only when used right and according to your goals; otherwise, it’s just an extra expense. A 360° platform can handle everything from abstract submissions to program management, sponsor management, and event communications. Research various options and choose a solution that fits your needs.

If you’re organizing a scientific conference, this software will help you collect, review, and approve abstracts without the need for spreadsheets or multiple email threads. A comprehensive platform will also allow you to manage speaker presentations, schedule sessions, and send automated reminders to attendees. Using the right tools gives you more time to focus on engaging with attendees and ensuring the event meets your goals.

8. Recruit Volunteers and Onsite Staff

Securing onsite staff and volunteers early on is crucial to ensure a smooth experience on the day of the event. Volunteers can help with everything from onsite registration and session management to technical support and attendee assistance. Begin recruiting early and clearly define each volunteer’s role. Regular check-ins and training sessions will help prepare your team for the big day. Without their support, your event will be way more chaotic. Consider offering incentives such as a certificate of participation to motivate volunteers to join.

9. Find Sponsors and Exhibitors

No matter how much you try to budget, hosting a conference is expensive. Finding a few reliable sponsors can go a long way toward minimizing costs while increasing the trust of being backed by a well-known company. Look for sponsors that align with your event’s goals.

In exchange for their financial support, offer them visibility opportunities—such as prime exhibitor booths, branded materials, or speaking slots. Building a long-term partnership with sponsors can benefit both parties, with sponsors offering support year after year.

10. Organize a Smooth Abstract Submission Process

The most important part of your meeting is the content. Create an attractive call for abstracts to receive as many submissions as possible; the more possibilities you have, the better.

Use an intuitive abstract submission platform to make the process as simple as possible. This will allow attendees to submit their work, track submission status, and receive updates in a streamlined manner. The more efficient this process, the smoother it will be to build out your sessions and schedule.

11. Abstracts Reviewed for Acceptance or Rejection

Then, these abstracts are assigned to reviewers specialized in each field and are later accepted or rejected. Using Review Management software to automatically assign relevant reviewers to each abstract is a time-saver.

Without a dedicated system, tracking the review process, ensuring timely completion, and maintaining clear communication among all parties is difficult. With the right software, you can set different review types, define the number of review rounds, and establish your own review criteria and scoring options. Blinded review is also a possibility to ensure fairness.

Make sure your software of choice also includes a way to easily communicate with reviewers and submitters; that’s an easy way to keep the project on track and promote collaboration.

12. Confirming Speaker Participation

Accepted abstracts will be turned into presentations and presented later at the meeting. As an organizer, you must ensure all speakers are available during their timeslots, which can be tricky with so many professionals.

Ask your presenters to RSVP through email. But plans can change, and keeping track of who is available and who is not can be challenging. That’s why an automated communication tool where organizers can create campaigns, send out notifications automatically based on the answer, and overview all replies is crucial.

13. Presentation Upload and Management

Those submitters whose abstract is accepted and have confirmed attendance will have to upload a PowerPoint presentation to present at the conference until a given deadline. The easiest way for speakers to upload the files and for you to get a good overview of the progress is to use the same event management software for presentation management. Here are some key features you should look for:

• Self-Service features
• Centralized and organized presentation repository
• Version control
• Secure access
• Detailed reports and insights

Some submitters might have last-minute changes to their presentations. This is why it’s crucial to have a Speaker-Ready-Room at the venue where speakers can view and upload the latest version of their presentation. For an even smoother process, ensure the versions update automatically, always having the latest available to present onsite.

14. Create Engaging Sessions

Once you know which speakers can present their abstracts, it’s time to start building the sessions. The order in which you schedule presentations will depend on the nature of your event. As a rule of thumb, content-heavier presentations should be placed in the morning—not at 8 AM when most attendees will be sleepy!—and more relaxed talks or panel discussions can be scheduled later in the day.

A successful conference includes a variety of session types to keep attendees engaged throughout the day. For example, your event can include:

• Keynote presentations
• Mini oral sessions
• Late-Abstract presentations
• Panel discussions
• Q&A sessions
• Poster presentations

Remember to leave enough time between sessions for networking and breaks, and always consider the flow of the day. Attendees will appreciate a well-paced agenda that balances learning with opportunities to connect.

15. Create Your Event Program

Approximately 1 month before the conference, finish the event program, allowing space for some last-minute changes later. Organize your sessions and create a printed and digital version of the conference program for attendees. Make sure the digital version is compatible to view on smartphones, as most of your participants will be on the move from one session room to another during the conference.

Aside from including frequent breaks, add opportunities to network and silent areas where attendees can go to relax or work if needed. Another tip is to include interactivity during the sessions and at the conference venue, which will help increase engagement.

16. Develop Your Marketing Plan

Your event marketing plan should start early and cover multiple channels, including website, email, and social media. Start by building an email list of potential attendees and regularly send updates about the event, early-bird deadlines, and new speakers. A steady stream of communication keeps your event in mind and creates hype.

Don’t forget the power of email marketing! This channel is still alive and the perfect opportunity to contact your attendees directly. Create informative campaigns with strong calls to action, and use a reliable communication platform to track all replies.

Your sponsors and partners can also use their channels to promote your conference. Don’t hesitate to use conference announcement sites to announce your call for papers. This will extend your reach and help you tap into new audiences. The key is to have a detailed plan, including what to post and how often, and use the conference voice and branding for these messages.

17. Execute the Event

You’re almost set! Now, the success of your event boils down to execution. Create a detailed run-of-show document outlining every major task for each team member. Rehearse any tech-related tasks, such as streaming sessions or AV setups, to ensure everything goes off without a hitch.

Don’t forget to assign someone to handle last-minute changes or attendee requests in real-time. Having a flexible team will make it easier to adapt to the unexpected.

18. Focus on Post-Event Engagement

Congratulations on hosting a successful conference! But before you can relax, there’s a few last things you need to do to wrap up:

• Send a thank-you email to all attendees and participants. This is a great opportunity to strengthen relationships and get feedback. Don’t forget to include a survey at the end of the email.
• Analyze your results: number of attendees, ticket revenue, engagement rate, etc. These numbers will determine if you met your goals and act as a benchmark for future meetings.
• Host a debriefing meeting with your team members to reflect on the planning process and discern which areas can be improved.
• Prepare a full report with all the information above to keep as a review tool for future conferences.

Wrapping Up…

Hosting a successful STEMM conference requires careful planning, but with the right team, tools, and strategy, you can create an event that exceeds expectations. From setting clear objectives to selecting the right technology, every step is essential in delivering a seamless, impactful experience for attendees.

Looking for an event software provider that can support every part of your meeting? Look no further; explore our solutions or schedule a free demo!