In addition to the great advice that Trishul has shared, I’d like to add that your event is also a business. As someone who produces my own live events (sponsorshipbootcamp.com) and speaks at the events of other promoters (author101university.com, movepeopletoaction.com, etc)... one of the biggest mistakes I see is people not treating it like a business. I would…

1. Create a business plan.
2. Get bids early for event planner, A/V, etc
3. Define the target market
4. Who do you want to speak and, more importantly, what is their reach/ability to help you promote the event and fill the event/room block.
5. Will you have sponsors? If so, how many and what type? Sponsors are a great way to cover a large portion of your expenses while also delivering an immense amount of value and ROI to your sponsors.

Let me know if I can ever be of service to you or your team!