Conferences - do you run/organise or help?

[inncogneetow]

What sort of staffing ratios do you have? (Company staff, not hotel/conference centre staff.)

For a small-ish conference of around 120 delegates for 2-3 nights, plus exhibitors and speakers.

Thanks

bump

I don't do conferences but suggest you approach it like any new, unknown this.
Decide what needs doing, who it will be done by and add up how many people it requires to be at the conference. Check with the venue in case they have any weird and wonderful requirements.

Thanks. I know what I think, I just would appreciate hearing what's the norm for other companies.

I don't actually know how many we had last time. I am a whizz at running round a room with a wireless microphone so people can heard questions from the floor. I also did some of the registration (handing out badges and pointing people at the coffee pots.) We had about 3 people on that at the busiest point.

I think a lot depends on what you're doing at the conference - we were filming some of it, which means we had a load of AV people around. Caterers/servers (which may be sorted out by the venue.) We had speakers for various points, which needs someone to meet & greet as well as just coordinate timings and so on. Plus we had people running sessions for smaller groups during one afternoon session. Some people can do more than one job at different times, especially the running around fixing things sort of dogsbody jobs. Someone organised a networking game before the opening dinner, but that can be done by someone involved in other things over the course of the conference.

I think it's probably one of those "how long is a piece of string" things, and the best thing to do, as mentioned, is work out what jobs there are, so you know how many people you need.

Definitely "how long is a piece of string" - I've done one almost by myself, two days, international speakers, central London official venue, but it became most of my day job for a month, I had one person to do running around for me, and called in many favours.
So much depends on what the venue can and can't do - will they arrange seating, provide meals and coffee, clear away, run security, set up presentations, operate sound and lighting, send directions and materials to the delegates...

I've also run conferences as part of larger teams, when we had to ensure we didn't get bogged down in the 'nice to haves' at the expense of critical stuff. Also remember that if you double the number of delegates, to double the number of front desk staff who can answer all the small questions and process people on arrival, and yes the night time issues also double!

We have a conference this week and there are seven of us down to help. One day thing. 150 delegates.

Thank you all: especially Wipsglitter!

I realise it's a 'how long is a piece of string' question, but I'm still interested in the responses.

Our organisation/prep/venue etc is all excellent. But I think on the ground, on the day we are seriously under-staffed; and only get through by expecting way more than is acceptable from the staff who are there... ie me.

For me it also depends on whether we've run a similar event in the venue before. It's always a lot more stressful and complicated the first time in a new venue, but subsequent events (even with different audiences/speakers) are much easier. I'd be looking at 2 people probably for an event of the size you're describing, but that's just co-ordination - not chairing/speaking etc.

For a 2-3 day event with about 7 delegates we had 2 internal staff full time, plus me (delegate but also organiser, so about 50% time) plus a full comms team and A-V team and a conference project manager from the technical team

Totally depends on what you are doing.

You always need an extra person as a runner - drinks for speakers, refreshments etc.