Re-Cap of the 20th Alberta Health & Safety Conference

Some of you may know, but I have been quite busy in the last few weeks as I’ve just wrapped up the 20th Alberta Health and Safety Conference. This was my seventh year planning the conference and it is always such an honor. The Alberta Health and Safety Conference is an annual event aimed at promoting workplace safety. The conference brings together health and safety professionals, employers, employees, and government representatives to share knowledge and best practices for preventing workplace injuries and illnesses. The event features keynote speakers, educational sessions, and networking opportunities, and covers topics such as safety culture, mental health, hazard assessment, and risk management. The conference also includes an exhibition (The Safety Hall) showcasing the latest products and services in health and safety. In celebration of another successful conference, I thought I’d share key tips for event planners, exhibitors, and attendees on getting the most out of your upcoming conference.

For Event Planners

I love planning for this conference in particular but that being said it still takes a tonne of manpower to get the conference planned and executed. Here are a few tips that event planners can take away from my experience planning this conference.

Tip #1: Create a Tracking Sheet

If you’ve been in the event planning industry for a while, you’re probably used to working with different vendors for different things, all of which have different deadlines. Sometimes these deadlines and tasks can be forgotten so do yourself a favor and create a tracking sheet to include:

• The task
• The due date
• Who is responsible for the delivery of the task
• The task status (I like to colour code this)
• Notes related to the task

Tip #2: Schedule Social Media Posts Ahead of Time

If you’re in charge of executing an event, social media posts may be the last thing on your mind. You have other things that are more time sensitive to worry about. What I like to do is schedule social media posts ahead of them (the crucial ones) using a scheduling tool (I like to use SmarterQueue), so you can focus on the event. In any downtime, you can snap a few photos or take a short video and post it to the event’s social media, but either way, there will not be silence on the social media channels.

For Exhibitors

One of my favorite aspects of the Alberta Health and Safety Conference is the Safety Hall which is full of all sorts of exhibitors showcasing their new cutting-edge technology, products, and services. Exhibiting at events related to your industry provides many benefits:

• Increase brand awareness
• Network with your target audience
• Showcase your products/services to the right audience
• Get in front of decision-makers

After this year’s conference, I have a few tips to share with future exhibitors for any conference!

Tip 1: Find a Unique Way to Draw People to Your Booth

There were so many fantastic exhibitors at this year’s conference, but one booth that really generated some attention was Alberta Motor Transport Association’s booth. This year they brought in a driving simulator which was not only unique from other booths but also helped demonstrate their brand proposition. When thinking about what to bring for your booth, think about your audience and what is going to drive them to come and chat with you.

Tip 2: Bring Fun Swag

Swag is a great way to get people to visit your booth which gives you the opportunity to drum up a conversation. But deciding what swag to bring can be difficult, especially if it’s your first time exhibiting at a new conference you haven’t attended before. At this year’s conference swag ranged from earphones, hand lotion, chapstick, pens, notepads, reusable bags, and more! Here are three great rules to follow when picking swag for an upcoming event:

1. Will my target audience use the item?
2. Can I display my organization’s branding on it? 
3. Can I use the swag as a talking point or to dremel up a conversation?

For Attendees

Tip #1: Take Advantage of as Much of the Conference as You Can

When you look at the event agenda, you usually pick out the sessions you want to attend, but it’s important to remember there’s so much more! Try attending sessions that normally wouldn’t interest you and you may be surprised at what you take away from it. If you weren’t anticipating checking out the trade show hall, take a look anyway. You’d be surprised at the networking opportunities and many organizations go out of their way to include a fun experience at their booth!

If you missed attending, exhibiting, or sponsoring the Alberta Health and Safety Conference this year, don’t worry the conference will return in May 2024. For more information, follow the Alberta Health and Safety Conference Social media accounts.

If you have any questions about planning your upcoming event or are looking for someone to take the load off, Planit Events Inc. is experienced in all sorts of events! Send us a message and we would be happy to chat.