Hosting Your First Conference
Nathan Graham of Itinerant Counseling just finished leading his first community counseling conference last month.
He only made a few hundred dollars after covering all expenses (hey, that’s still something!), but the value of hosting events like this can go beyond one-time payouts.
In his words, “the primary value in a short conference is found in the lingering effects, such as organizational partnerships and community awareness around your ordinary therapy services.”
Working closely with an established community organization and space came with the added benefits of “built-in marketing, with at least 90% of participants being generated within the [community organization] and not through solo social media efforts. The decision to work with existing community momentum was worth the extra meetings along the way.”
It can feel intimidating hosting an event around your speaking and facilitation, but Graham shares that “he didn’t have all the answers, and that was just fine… it was a healthy reminder of the value of simply holding space for others to process their own complex experiences.”
Some final thoughts for hosting your first event or conference:
Start small.
Seek out a community partner for space and marketing.
Don’t feel like you have to create content from scratch (just give credit where credit is due, and put your own twist on it).
Set specific and achievable goals (especially for headcount and itinerary).
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