There are many reasons why institutions and individuals engage in conference organization, be it an international congress or a local workshop on a specific area of economics or finance. In academia, it is a great way to publicize your research work, to educate a wider public about a certain issue or simply to bring together experts from the same field and share the state of research. In business, it is the ultimate way to expand a network, market your company and often pave the way to future clients. Regardless of the type of institution, all conference organizers face the same challenges, especially when organizing an event for the first time.

1. Money: It is no surprise that finances, to a large extent, determine the success of the event – that is why it is vital to start searching for sponsors early. If you have a set budget from your depart- ment – use it wisely. Additionally, don’t forget that a conference fee, when paid in advance, can be a major source of financial means for the event, although it can prevent some qualified candidates from attending

2. Delegate Recruitment: The main take-away participants will have from a conference is their communication and experience exchange with peers. For this reason, qualified and active dele- gates are vital. However finding them, especially in big quantities, is always a challenge.

3. Speakers: The reputation of keynote speakers adds enormously to the reputation of a confe- rence. However, prominent people have busy schedules and usually have dozens of events to choose from.

4. The Right Time and the Right Place: Conferences on every topic have a lot of com- petition – scheduling an event smartly and avoiding an overlap with other major industry events is vital, but might not be easy. The right venue, right timing and right location always contribute to the success of the event.

How to cope with these challenges?

Even though there is no ultimate remedy for all prob- lems, the challenges mentioned above all require one fundamental thing: timely and smart promotion of the event. If you can bring your message and the value of the event to the right people, be it potential sponsors, delegates or speakers, many of these challenges can be avoided. Sure, there will be thousands of other con- ferences on similar topics, often with bigger resources or more prominent speakers. But if you can communi- cate effectively what makes your conference different, you will find your event can punch above its weight and increase its chance of all-round success. If you need any support presenting your conference in the best way, our team is always happy to support you, just drop us a short enquiry to info@inomics.com.