Have a good mix of industry experts, recognised world leaders in their field and professional speakers as presenters.

Use a professional emcee throughout your conference.

Have a reputable professional conference manager on your team.

Have a theme that inspires and attracts delegates and embrace your theme in all aspects of your conference.

Base your budget on your super early bird registration fee that is well promoted.

Regularly promote your conference to coincide with early bird and full registration fees time frames.

Use a venue that is the perfect fit for your presenters, your theme, and the special needs, expectations and desires of your delegates.

Provide an attractive event timetable so that while on site your delegates get to all events on time.

Provide speakers notes in one PDF document that includes an action planner.

Choose your venue carefully, does it meet the expectations of your delegates (cost, location, destination).

While email and the internet are important marketing tools, you will need supporting direct mail/advertising.

If you are a membership organisation, call 50 of members who do not attend your conferences/meetings and ask them why. You will get valuable marketing feedback.

Commence your promotion as early as possible using your headline 4 or 5 keynote speakers.

Collect the email address of all those who enquire and communicate with them monthly.

Remember when making block room bookings at hotels, up to  60 % of delegates may arrange their own accommodation.

Use a professional AV and sound company, do not try and do it yourself with borrowed equipment.

Make sure you have adequate public liability insurance.

Have a conference enquiry phone line that is attended during business hours with well trained staff.

Build a comprehensive conference web site and keep it updated.

Check for conflicting events.

Ensure there is agreement concerning the objectives of your conference / meeting and the key actions to achieve them.