Hosting a women’s event or conference is an incredible way to engage and empower women, foster community, and provide opportunities for professional and personal growth. Plus, it’s likely you have several businesses that are willing to sponsor the event to get their names associated with female empowerment AND may have additional businesses that want to become vendors at a women’s expo.
Whether you’re planning a large-scale conference or a more intimate gathering with a powerful speaker, there are key steps you can follow to ensure event success.
In this guide, we will walk you through how to find engaging speakers, provide a list of trending topics for women, share best practices for planning and execution, and offer creative ways to sell tickets and maximize your vendor expo (should you decide to include one).
Step 1: Defining the Purpose and Theme
Before diving into logistics, get clear on the purpose of your event. Is it meant to inspire leadership, discuss women’s health, promote entrepreneurship, or provide professional development? Maybe you want to do all the above and create a women’s symposium or all-day conference.
If you have enough interest, the time, and the budget, you could create tracks that address each area. This can be another sponsorship opportunity with your health and wellness track sponsored by the local hospital, entrepreneurship underwritten by a co-working space, etc.
Once you’ve nailed down the focus, create a theme that resonates with your target audience. Your theme will guide your event branding, speaker selection, and session topics. For instance, the theme of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce’s 7th Annual Women’s Conference hosted this summer was “The Next Chapter.”
I really like this theme from the 2024 Greater Binghamton Chamber’s event. They also posted their conference/event goals on their site. It was a nice touch. Check them out below:
Step 2: Finding the Right Speakers
Speakers can make or break a conference. It’s tempting to look at accomplished women in your community and ask them to speak. However, know that becoming the top your industry or having a compelling story does not make you a dynamic speaker. Look for women with a compelling story AND the ability to tell it.
Here’s how to find impactful women who will draw a crowd:
- Reach Out to Influential Women in Your Network. Start by asking people in your personal network and community. LinkedIn is a great resource to find professionals but make sure you know they can address a crowd in a memorable way. Look for storytellers. Ask your network for referrals for amazing women speakers.
- Engage Local Leaders. Local business owners, community leaders, and government officials can draw interest from attendees who want to hear from those familiar with local challenges and opportunities.
- Consider Industry Experts. If your conference has a specific industry focus, identify experts or well-known figures in that space.
- Leverage Speaker Directories. Utilize directories that focus on women speakers. For example, the International Women’s Day Speaker Directory lists various women who are available for speaking engagements, some of whom may charge little or no fee.
- Engage with Speaker Bureaus. Consider working with speaker bureaus that specialize in budget-friendly options. They can help you find emerging speakers who may not yet have high fees but can deliver impactful presentations
- Create a Speaker Proposal Form or a Call for Speakers. Create an application process where potential speakers can apply to present, allowing you to attract fresh voices.
- Utilize Social Media and Online Platforms. Search platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter to find women who are actively speaking about topics relevant to your conference. Engaging with them through these platforms can also provide opportunities for collaboration.
Additionally, when recruiting speakers, make sure you include diverse voices. Ensure you have speakers representing different backgrounds, industries, ages, and life experiences. Don’t shut the door on emerging voices who can lend a different perspective. Newer speakers who are building their profiles often charge less and can bring fresh energy to your event.
Step 3: Topic Ideas for a Women’s Conference
A successful women’s conference offers a variety of sessions catering to the different interests and needs of the attendees.
Here is a list of potential topics sorted by area of interest:
Professional Development and Leadership
- Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Overcoming Gender Barriers in Leadership
- Building Resilience: Thriving in Challenging Work Environments
- Women on Boards: How to Get a Seat at the Table
- Managing Conflict and Workplace Dynamics with Grace
- Strategies for Effective Negotiation
Entrepreneurship and Business Growth
- Scaling Your Business: From Side Hustle to Enterprise
- Financing Your Dream: Securing Funding as a Female Entrepreneur
- Marketing for Women-Owned Businesses: Telling Your Brand’s Story
- Building and Leading a Purpose-Driven Company
- Legal Pitfalls for Female Entrepreneurs to Avoid
Health and Wellness
- The Connection Between Mental Health and Professional Success
- Balancing Hormones: What Women Over 40 Need to Know
- Holistic Approaches to Wellness: Beyond Diet and Exercise
- Preventing Burnout: Self-Care Strategies for Busy Women
- Nutrition Tips for Women Over 50
Personal Development and Empowerment
- Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: How to Build Confidence
- Work-Life Balance: Is It Possible and How to Achieve It
- Creating a Vision Board: Manifesting Your Future (Or Journaling for Success)
- Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and Using It to Succeed
- Mentorship and Sponsorship: Finding and Being a Role Model
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Women of Color in Leadership: Stories of Success and Overcoming Bias
- Gender Parity in the Workplace: What Still Needs to Change?
- Allyship and Advocacy: Supporting Women Across All Levels
- LGBTQ+ Women in the Workplace: Creating Inclusive Cultures
- Addressing Ageism: Supporting Women of All Generations
Step 4: Best Practices for a Record-breaking Event
So, how do you put it all together?
Line Up Sponsors and Vendors
Look for businesses in your area that are promoting women’s causes and programs. Create a packet that speaks to women empowerment and find our who is heading that up for them. Speak directly to the community liaison or the person in charge of women’s programs for the business.
Approach women-owned businesses and others who would be a good fit for your expo. Tell them the theme and topics the speakers will cover. Recruit accordingly. For instance, if you’re having a wellness component to your conference, approach wellness practitioners and coaches.
Engage Attendees Early
Create an online presence early with a dedicated website and social media channels. Share sneak peeks of speakers, behind-the-scenes planning, and early-bird ticket sales.
Offer Tiered Ticket Pricing
Introduce multiple levels of tickets (general admission, VIP) to offer value at different price points. If you have a VIP speaker coming, host a meet and great for your higher tier ticket holders or work with your vendors to offer special intros to their services. Check out what the Galveston Chamber offers in their VIP lounge experience:
Incorporate Networking Opportunities and Engaging Activities
Plan networking sessions, mixers, or speed mentoring to increase engagement. Interactive elements such as breakout sessions, table discussions, and Ask-Me-Anything sessions to keep energy high and the audience engaged.
Provide Goodie Bags and Swag
Attendees love leaving with something tangible. Secure sponsors to provide branded swag and samples. Encourage vendors to host contests for those who join their mailing list, etc.
Host an Awards Ceremony
Some women’s conferences also double as an awards ceremony or they have an awards component. At the Women Empowering Women Summit in Venice, Florida, part of the festivities include awarding a local business woman with the Empowering Woman of the Year Award.
Step 5: Get Creative When Selling Tickets
Women’s events draw a crowd. Find ways to encourage women to attend with friends. Play up the social aspect of personal and professional growth. Creative ideas include:
- Early-Bird Discounts. Encourage people to buy tickets early by offering discounted pricing for early-bird registrations. Use fear of missing out and countdown clocks to drive action.
- Group Discounts. Offer group ticket rates to businesses or teams to increase attendance. Send a mailer or email campaign to women’s groups you know in your community offering them a discount. Another fun way to sell tickets is by offering a buy one, get one ticket flash sale. Market the idea on social media and make the offer valid for a few hours only.
- Promote on Social Media. Use targeted ads on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to reach your audience. Create engaging content, such as speaker interviews or behind-the-scenes prep. Run teasers about the swag. Cover the stories behind your conference.
- Collaborate with Influencers. Partner with local women influencers or bloggers to help promote the event.
- Host Giveaways. Run a giveaway for free tickets to generate buzz and social media shares.
Step 6: Maximizing Your Women’s Vendor Expo
A vendor expo can add immense value to your conference, offering networking and revenue opportunities for attendees and exhibitors. Plus, it makes attendees feel good when women can support other women. Vendors will also appreciate the ability of getting in front of their target market in an environment that is supportive of women.
Here’s how to make the most of your expo:
Curate Vendors
Select vendors that align with your audience’s interests—boutique shops, women-owned businesses, health and wellness brands, etc.
Create Interactive Vendor Booths
Encourage vendors to offer interactive elements such as product samples, live demos, or mini consultations. Work with your vendors to create discounted opportunities for conference attendees who receive services that day such as a professional headshot offer for attendees that sign up as part of your early-bird pricing or VIP tier.
Leverage Vendor Partnerships
Ask vendors to promote the event to their own networks. Give them the marketing materials to do so easily.
Sponsor Engagement
Offer premium booth placements to sponsors and feature them in promotional materials.
Vendor BINGO
Create a fun game where attendees visit a certain number of booths for a chance to win a prize, encouraging them to interact with more vendors.
Highlight Vendors on Social Media
Before the event, showcase your vendors on your event page and social channels to boost their visibility. Go beyond just posting their logo and share something about each one such as a special or what they are known for.
Step 7: Post-Event Follow-Up
After the event, continue engaging your attendees and vendors:
- Send a post-event survey to gather feedback to improve for future conferences. But make it fun and creative. Everyone is sending surveys these days. Survey fatigue is real.
- Share event highlights. Post photos, videos, and testimonials from the event across social media and on your website. Invite people to tag themselves (that gives them the option in case they hate the pic.)
- Offer early-bird registration for next year. Keep the momentum going by offering an exclusive discount for next year’s conference attendees (and sponsors!).
Make it a women’s conference they’ll never forget, and you can be sure they’ll talk about your event for a long time. A great conference is (almost) all the marketing you need for the next one.
A Final Note About Women’s Conferences
As I was researching this article, I noticed an overwhelming number of the conferences I clicked on were sold out weeks in advance. This appears to be an incredibly popular undertaking. If you’re on the fence about hosting one or not, talk to some of the chambers that have put them on. What you hear might be very inspirational.
