Blog
Tips, trends, and best practices for multi-day professional conferences.

Planning
On-site
Healthy conferences: Why nutrition and physical activity benefit everyone
Conferences are generally not known for promoting a healthy lifestyle. Just think of the breaks, which are usually far too short and used either for unhealthy snacks or for rushing to the next session on an empty stomach. Sometimes that is the only physical activity participants get, as they spend the rest of the time sitting down, far away from natural daylight. However, a shift in thinking is gradually taking place.

Planning
Technology
What must be included in a conference speaker agreement?
A recording of the presentation was never mentioned, and the speaker is hearing for the first time that they are expected to upload their slides. One thing is certain: expectations between speakers and organizers often diverge significantly. A speaker agreement helps you prevent all such misunderstandings from the very beginning. What should it include, and how do you ensure everyone receives the necessary information?

Planning
Technology
When your preferred speakers aren't available – inviting backup speakers to your conference
Declining an invitation is never the response you hope for, but at conferences, it’s quite common due to speakers' numerous other commitments. To keep the disappointment from hitting too hard, it helps to plan ahead. If you think about potential alternatives in advance, you can switch to Plan B immediately and send out the next invitation without having to stop and figure out what to do after a rejection.

Planning
What should a conference speaker invitation look like—and what should it avoid?
A successful conference needs great topics. However, without outstanding speakers, even the best topics are only worth half as much. Sometimes it is therefore worth collecting names first and then inviting those individuals in a targeted manner. You should be careful when drafting your invitations, though, as your preferred speakers likely receive more than just legitimate speaking requests.

Planning
Technology
Software tools for conference organizers
The long road to hosting your own conference is made up of many small steps. To communicate effectively with your team, keep track of upcoming tasks, and monitor how much time is being spent on what, several programs can support you along the way. Software like Asana, Toggl, and Converia can make your life easier and save you from unnecessary work. We use these tools every day – here, we share our positive experiences and explain why they are perfectly suited for planning conferences.

Finance
Planning
How are event tickets taxed correctly?
The standard VAT rate is 19%—simple enough, right? In theory, yes. But the legal landscape is rather opaque, especially when it comes to tax rules for event tickets. Which rate is correct: 0%, 7%, 19%, or a mix of everything? Is it true that no VAT applies to international participants? And can conference software actually handle it when things get complicated?


