Is It The Right Time For Your Business To Host a Customer Conference?

With the strong recovery in the MICE sector reported by STB (Singapore Tourism Board) in 2023, the time may be right.

The pandemic was a dark period for the MICE industry with overseas travel coming to a complete standstill. The good news is that the corporate travel and business events sector in Singapore recovered by leaps and bounds last year in 2023 according to STB’s year-in-review report with 2024 poised for even greater growth.

Some of the major business events held in 2023 included Food and Hotel Asia (FHA)-Food & Beverage (F&B), Herbalife APAC Extravaganza 2023, Milken Institute Asia Summit, and Singapore FinTech Festival to name a few.

However, a booming economy may not be the only reason to hold a customer conference as there are also many internal factors to consider.  

Firstly you need to see at what stage of growth your business is at and if it’s the right time for it to be exposed to potential partners and investors. As your product offering grows, it may become more powerful and certain features will be easier explained and comprehended in person. At a customer conference, you can offer training sessions, showcase various use cases, and give comprehensive downloads on product updates to keep everyone up to date.

Another reason may be to grow your connections by showcasing your culture and brand through activities you host outside of your average conference sessions. These events will give you the chance to thank your customers for joining you, and for being customers in the first place. 

So, when it comes to conference management in Singapore, it needs careful planning and a strategic approach to make it successful and memorable for your attendees.

Different Kinds of Conference Management in Singapore

So if you have evaluated all the above-mentioned factors and decided that a conference is the way to go, there are many types to consider based on your scale and budget:

Webinars

A webinar is a kind of online event that is hosted virtually by either one or many experts. and can be organised for several purposes, such as introducing a product, educating students, and training employees. Using the right webinar platform is key to hosting an engaging and dynamic session.

Workshops 

Workshops are more interactive and involve a lot of participation. As compared to seminars, these events are more focused on teaching new skills to participants under the guidance of an instructor.

Trade Shows

The Trade Shows are big events where companies (in a particular industry) show off their products and services to potential partners and customers. It seems like a giant marketplace for businesses or brands.

Seminar

A seminar is an interactive session where one or two speakers lead the conversation in the audience. It can be educational and informative and aims to impart some skills or knowledge to the audience such as digital marketing skills, personal finance and investment tips, real estate advice etc. 

Hybrid Conferences

A hybrid conference refers to both in-person and virtual conferences which allows all your attendees to be part of your event either online or by visiting personally. This approach increases audience reach, fosters engagement, and accommodates diverse preferences and circumstances, enhancing the overall effectiveness and accessibility of your event.

Symposium

A symposium is a small meeting where several experts come together to discuss a common subject. These conferences usually end within a day. 

Whether it’s a small or large-scale conference,  there are numerous tasks to manage from optimising resources to monitoring team members to ensure a smooth onsite experience for your audience. Because of the various logistics involved in conference management, many companies outsource this role to an event agency to not only ensure the successful execution of the entire conference from start to finish but to also create an exceptional ambience for attendees through the use of the right audio-visual equipment. 

Here are some pointers to bear in mind when planning for a successful conference in Singapore 

Make a Budget Plan

After listing down the reasons for organising your conference, start thinking about the overall budget. Here, you should write down all major and minor expenses you will incur along with any sponsorship options that might be available. Now, make a list of all the cost items including venue, accommodation & travel, audio/visual equipment, catering options, marketing, and other miscellaneous production costs. After finishing this list, factor in 10-15% extra to your final budget as a buffer for over-expenditure.

Perform Key Operations

This is the stage where conference management begins and you can assign specific tasks to particular team members to streamline the planning and execution process of your conference and draft deadlines for completion. In addition, you can contact required vendors for hotels and transportation management, and perform required negotiations to finalise the prices beforehand to get the best deals. These efforts help to run your conference smoothly. 

Setting Up Your Online Presence (Websites or Digital Marketing Campaigns) 

Your online presence is crucial for driving traffic towards your event. Having a website or mobile application where you can advertise the details of the program and venue permits easy pre-registration also drives interest. Additionally, you can also hire social media and digital marketing teams to help create more buzz in the digital space by pushing out engaging content. 

Prepare Emergency Operations 

It takes only one glitch or a split-second error to turn your conference into a PR disaster. To avoid such issues, make sure you engage an events company that is experienced in managing any sudden crises with AV equipment or last-minute registrations to ensure a smooth flow during your event. 

Gather Feedback and Evaluate Success

After your conference ends make sure to solicit feedback from attendees, sponsors and speakers to attain insights into what worked well and where there is a need for improvement. For this, you can perform surveys, take one-on-one interviews or organise focus groups to collect feedback on numerous aspects of the conference (such as content, organisation, and overall experience).

Organising a conference may be a good way to boost your business and make the connections you need, but you also need to gauge whether it’s in line with your company’s goals. With over 20 years of organising events and conferences in Asia, you’re in safe hands with The Executive Group. Get in touch for a free consultation!