Everyone loves a conference. A day out of the office, free food and 8 hours devoted entirely to professional development – how is that not an attractive option?
But in order to deliver a successful conference that can benefit everyone, there are some important things you need to take into consideration:
- Do you have a bar tab?
- Will you be providing free pony rides for all attendees?
- Have you thought about including some kind of nap corner?
If, for whatever reason, you are unable to include these small and easy-to-pass-the-finance-department trimmings, then you should at least look at some of the following.
Parking & transport
Yeah, having a conference room in the city sounds impressive, but do you know what isn’t? Sitting in traffic for 45 minutes, only to do four laps of the block hunting for a park and then pay $50 for it (and have to reverse park with a street full of spectators).
No thank you! Luckily, CTC has an equally impressive conference room – and guess what? They also have 100s of (free) carparks. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to catch public transport, there happens to be a railway station and a bus stop just down the road in easy walking distance. No matter your transport preferences, CTC are able to accommodate for you – no reverse parking required!
Those pesky extras!
Everyone loves a bargain – it’s why the concept of Kmart is so successful. It’s also why when choosing a conference venue, you should be careful to review what is and isn’t included in the cost. In same cases, venues have an add-on price for certain components that others might consider an essential part of running a successful conference. For instance, things like audio visual equipment!
At CTC, we include data projectors, speakers, handheld and lapel microphones and much more, at no extra cost – after all, why would you go to all of that effort on your PowerPoint slide transitions, if no-one even gets to appreciate them? Whatever choice you decide to make, ensure that you’re told upfront what services and equipment you are receiving for the price, so that you can make a decision that is best for your business and conference.
Catering
As we have established, the conference food plays a pivotal role in an attendee’s enjoyment of the overall experience. And fair enough – nothing leaves a sour taste in your mouth like a bad lunch. Fortunately, at CTC we have a great café that provides delicious catering packages, freshly made on-site. You can choose from an array of different options to suit whatever kind of budget and palette you’re working with!
Concierge Services
Look, we all know that you will have this conference planned perfectly. Your guest speakers will be engaging, your fonts will all match, and you will have arranged enough branded stationary to write the next Harry Potter series.
But even the most flawlessly prepared event is going to have a few mishaps. Sorry, but that’s just how it goes – it’s Newton’s fourth and lesser known law. And when the projector decides that it’s taking a mental health day in front of all your delegates, it could be useful to have concierge services ready and waiting to help you.
After all, nothing should be too much trouble for the staff at your conference venue. Whether it’s assistance with the audio-visual equipment, finding more chairs or tables if required, photocopying, deliveries, quick clean-up of spills, directions for your delegates – or at least, that’s what we believe at CTC, anyway.
Accommodation
If some of your delegates are travelling far, it might be worth considering whether there is quality accommodation located close by to the venue. Whilst this is by no means a prerequisite to a successful conference (you should definitely invest in those pony rides, before you consider this) it does add an element of convenience for your guests. Think of it like a special, internationally sourced, red velvet icing on top of the conference cake, enhancing their overall experience and the ultimate success of your event.
Hopefully by now you will have worked out that CTC’s Conference Venue in our purpose-built facility offers everything any organisation could need to conduct a quality conference, seminar or karaoke contest.
With 232 sq m of space, the Hugh Hamilton Room can accommodate up to 180 people, depending on your set-up. And from $335 plus GST, it is the most affordable conference venue hire in Brisbane. Escape the inner-city hustle and high-prices for meeting and conference room hire with the Hugh Hamilton Room.
Located within the CTC Precinct in Salisbury, Brisbane, The Hugh Hamilton Room, is a spacious and well-equipped conference room in leafy surrounds perfect for large group training, conferences and events. And we have plenty of outdoor space for your pony rides.
Call us on 07 3216 6711 or email bookings@ctc.qld.edu.au to find out more about holding your next event at CTC!
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