News & Updates

How to win an international conference: Tips from meetings industry experts

In July, Lviv Convention Bureau organised a workshop for the representatives of the meetings industry on how to win an international conference. The key topics covered by speakers from Istanbul/Amsterdam, New York and Ternopil included: What is ICCA; how associations work; and how to write a winning bid book. ICCA Regional Director Elif Balci Fisunoglu was among the faculty.

Professional conference organisers, hotels and tourism representatives, and university lecturers from Lviv, Kyiv and Dnipro took part in the workshop. Here are some of the key tips given to the workshop's delegates:

1. Align your bid with the goals of the event

ICCA's Regional Director Europe Elif Balci Fisunoglu spoke about ICCA and shared her tips for writing winning proposals: "To make your bid book a winning one, speak about your advantages, about convenient logistics and show your awareness of the topic of the meeting. When considering bids, organisers identify with those that are as close as possible to the goal of their event."

2. Strengthen your bid with support from academic ambassadors

Anatoliy Sachenko, Ukrainian scientist and inventor and honorary member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), spoke about the role and work of his association. Using the IEEE as an example, he explained that collaboration with relevant academic associations gives additional chances for the success of an application or bid, and also enhances the image of the inviting party.

3. Use the same terminology as the inviting association

Marketing specialist with more than 30 years of experience with world-class clients Christine Graf believes that it’s important to speak with the inviting party in the same language: "When it comes to IT conferences or medical congresses, you should understand that the rhetoric for one and the other is totally different."

4. Make the design of your bidding document stand out.

Christine also added: "Always pay a lot of attention to the quality and design of a bid - it is noticed immediately. Be creative – don’t use the same templates. And do not give up. It is difficult to write a winning proposal the first time, but everything comes with practice."