There are several reasons that people look forward to attending conferences, and the opportunity to network is certainly high on the list. With so many people who represent the same field or discipline coming together, there is ample opportunity for attendees to meet and connect with influential professionals within their industry.

Unfortunately, many conferences haven’t been organised in a way to maximise networking potential. With that in mind, the events team at The Esplanade Hotel are offering a few insider tips for how to make networking easy for your conference attendees:

• Give Attendees More Control over Their Experience
  It’s all too easy for conference and event organisers to create a one-size-fits-all itinerary for the event they’re organising. Every person who attends ends up following the same generalised programme. However, there is much to be said for making things a bit more flexible. If attendees are allowed to choose from a selection of sessions, they are much more likely to find themselves in talks and seminars with others that they have much in common with – at least on a professional basis. More productive networking naturally results.

• Be Intentional about Seat Assignments
  In this case, we’re thinking specifically about lunches and dinners hosted at your event. Some even organisers go out of their way to ensure that attendees whom they believe could benefit from meeting one another are seated close to one another. Others even give attendees the option to choose (within reason and when possible) where they sit and who they are seated close to.

• Plan the Event at a Location that Lends Itself to Follow-up Activities
  What your attendees do after the event is over is up to them, but you as the organiser can still do your part to ensure they have plenty of options. Scheduling an event at a location that has a wide range of activities and attractions on hand is going to make it easier for attendees to follow up with those newfound connections that they would like to further develop.

• Take Advantage of Break-Out Rooms
  The Esplanade Hotel has some of the best function venues in Fremantle, due in part to the extensive add-on facilities that we make available to organisers. For example, we have many different break-out rooms available for planned and impromptu break-out sessions, alike. Break-out rooms are more conducive to conversation than auditoriums and larger conference spaces. A given break-out room also features a smaller cross-section of all the attendees at the event, which makes them perfect for networking.

At The Esplanade Hotel, our versatile range of venues allows you to craft the in-house experience down to the finest detail – with lots of space for everyone to enjoy. Meanwhile, our prime location in Fremantle means that follow-up activities are naturally going to occur. Your attendees will almost certainly be meeting each other for drinks, dinner and extended conversation after the event.

If you’re currently looking for corporate venues in Fremantle that lend themselves well to networking events and conferences, then The Esplanade Hotel should be at the top of your list. Contact us today to learn more about our function packages and how we can tailor them to suit your specific requirements.