We’ve already revealed which useful digital tools we prefer to work with in the Converia team. However, our tasks differ slightly from those of a conference organizing team. Management tools for venues or conference dates don't fall directly into our area of responsibility, but there must be a better way than jotting everything down with pen and paper and hoping you find your notes at the right moment.
1. Save the Date - Finding the right date
Every conference needs one, and the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to find one that suits everyone—we’re talking about the date. Fortunately, with a little help, you can narrow down potential dates quite quickly. You can then take your initial suggestions to Conference Alerts or the World Conference Calendar. Both websites offer an extensive directory of all conferences that, unlike yours, already have a date, which makes things much easier. Find out when other events in your city or field are starting so you can strategically schedule your own date. Later, once it’s finalized, it’s worth returning. Instead of searching, add your own conference. This requires registration, but it is free. Each entry also includes a link to your own conference website, which Google will particularly appreciate.
Or, in one sentence: Clear conference management tools that detect overlaps and scheduling conflicts.
2. For the conference as a whole
How many people have already registered? Who needs a gentle reminder to pay their participation fee? You can get these answers in real-time with Converia. Once you have created your registration form with all its options using the conference management software, you’re ready to go. You can use it to accept registrations and fees, as well as to invite speakers or manage presentations and the program. You can transfer all finished program items directly into the schedule-like overview, which is customizable and fits perfectly on your conference website. By the way, you don't need an extra tool for the website itself, as you can create it with Converia, even if you’ve never done anything like that before and don't know how to code. Managing all conference data under one roof also has the advantage that personal data can be used immediately for email communication and on-site check-in for attendees. And in case you ever need to transfer something from Converia to another piece of software, the conference management tool naturally offers options for exporting data and APIs for automatic data exchange with other systems.
Find out how Converia can help your event here
3. The pinboard for ideas
You’ve come a bit closer to finding the right venue with your search, but you don’t want to make the final decision immediately or at least not entirely on your own? A few days of reflection will probably make it a bit easier anyway. To ensure none of the options get lost in the meantime, create a Pinterest board called "Conference Venues" and simply save a photo along with the link whenever you have a new venue in mind. With the "Save" button for your browser—for example, here for Chrome—you can do this from any website with just three clicks. And, of course, this isn't limited to venues. Tips for organizers, inspiration for conference design, or an infographic on the latest event trends all have their place on Pinterest. We’re pinning along with you. Perhaps one or two of our finds would look good on your boards? Go ahead!
The perfect conference management tool for a little inspiration in between tasks.
4. The freedom to work without distractions
It’s certainly practical to be able to be online almost anywhere while working. Looking something up quickly, reading emails, or commenting on an article a friend posted on LinkedIn on the side. A little multitasking never hurt anyone. Well, that’s not entirely true. On average, such a distraction costs 23 minutes. Almost half an hour passes before your thoughts are fully back on the actual task. Often, it doesn't stop at just one per day, as dangers lurk behind practically every link, and it always gets dangerous when the "I could just quickly..." thought takes center stage. To resist such temptations, there is Freedom, which allows you to switch off the biggest time-wasters or the entire internet on all your devices until the work is done. In case you can't work completely offline for a task, there are also useful ad blockers. Because sometimes distractions appear in the form of small ads that remind you of products you recently searched for. As long as the search isn't finished, the temptation is great to click quickly, only to end up watching a cat video a few minutes later. An ad blocker switches off those temptations, too. That should provide a completely new perspective on conference planning.
Don't be surprised if your work almost does itself with this conference management tool.
5. When notes become more extensive
Evernote takes the idea of filing a step further. Here, however, your personal notes take center stage. This is ideal for conference planning to create a collection of all important tasks and attach all documents that are in any way related to them. These don't necessarily have to be available online; they can be uploaded directly from your local hard drive. This way, the PDF of the contract that the caterer sent via email can also become part of your conference notes. Once created, you can conveniently share Evernote notes with other team members so they can help check off linked checklists or add their own ideas. Data is kept synchronized across all devices here as well.
Like a traditional notebook, only more interactive and with a sharing option—an all-rounder among conference management tools.
6. Collaborative brainstorming
A complex project (i.e., a conference) can be organized much more structurally if thoughts and ideas are arranged in a clear format. The results of the initial brainstorming session look much better as a mind map. Once the final overview is set, you move on to the next tool to distribute the tasks, which have to be created again because the mind map tool is only suitable for mind maps. For Zenkit, however, it doesn't end there. Individual tasks can subsequently be assigned a due date, distributed to team members, and the project's progress can be viewed from a different perspective—such as a table or Kanban board. As a conference management tool, Zenkit offers even more, bundling the strengths of several other tools for project work.
A visually oriented and organized conference management tool for anyone who likes to capture their team's thoughts and develop them further.
7. Organize your inbox
Does your conference have a general email address, such as info@yourconference.com? This makes sense because it allows the whole team to keep an eye on incoming mail throughout the day. On the other hand, it can be problematic because you first need to figure out how to handle individual inquiries. Who is exactly responsible? Is someone already working on it without the others knowing? Thanks to Loop, questions like these are a thing of the past. Everyone on the team accesses the same inbox but has far more options for maintaining clarity. This includes assigning every email directly to a specific person. If a message requires discussion, a chat can be opened right below it. Without Loop, you would have to copy the email content into another tool or send a separate message to the team member.
A conference management tool that clears up confusion is something most teams would welcome.
When planning is structured, the conference itself is often better. Innovative ideas fall by the wayside when a team is stuck in rigid workflows. However, those who manage to recognize this imbalance and effectively counter it with digital tools are rewarded with more time for creative thinking—and that is usually how great conferences begin.
Finally, a pro tip: most of the conference management tools mentioned here are valuable companions well beyond event planning. Regardless of whether organizing a conference is the exception rather than the rule, these tools help you approach your projects in a structured and organized way.
