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1. No matter what happens, always keep your composure. The planner who remains cool and collected in unexpected circumstances can salvage more out of the event and impress clients with his or her calm professionalism at the same time. 2. Never forget that the staff at your meeting venue can ultimately determine whether or not your attendees have a good experience. Be kind to bellmen, servers and front desk staffers, and they will be kind to you and your group.
3. While it is important for people to be able to get hold of you onsite, you should keep some boundaries in place. Not every individual attendee of every meeting or event needs your personal cell phone number, for instance. Consider purchasing a separate, pay-as-you-go "onsite only" phone to manage inquiries during these times.
4. If your company or organization has historically experienced last-minute registrations, try experimenting with incentives to encourage earlier signups. Consider an "early-bird" discount on registration fees for attendees who register by a certain date.
5. Confirm with your meeting venue that any shipments sent ahead of time have arrived and are accounted for prior to the meeting day. This can help to cut down on last-minute discoveries that critical supplies are nowhere to be found when you need them.
1. Only so many people can be comfortably seated at a table together. Add in large centerpieces and extravagant place settings, and the comfort level decreases at once. Keep personal space in mind when you are deciding on table decor and seating arrangements.
2. The fact that a property meets ADA accessibility requirements does not always mean it is convenient or user-friendly for those with disabilities. Take a walk-through of the property from beginning to end. Look at every aspect of traversing the building. Are there areas in which you can improve the experience for attendees with disabilities?
3. It is always a good idea to stay up to date with trends and changes in the industry. Even if you don't typically need to implement the "next best thing" in your meetings or events, it is better to be knowledgeable on all fronts in order to answer potential questions from clients than to be caught unaware.
4. The purpose of a networking function is to network. If the music is too loud to allow people to hear each other, no networking can be accomplished. Generational preferences aside, keep the music volume down if you expect people to chat. 5. It is practically part of human nature to look for a cheaper room rate than that which is offered for a group. Evaluate your policies and determine appropriate incentives to lure attendees into your room block, such as discounts on registration.
1. If your meeting space shares a wall with another, find out if a group will be using the other room during your meeting or event. If so, it is wise to inquire as to the nature of the group. A rowdy wedding reception next door to an intensive educational seminar, for instance, can be a recipe for disaster. 2. Do you know how property staff will treat your attendees while they are onsite? Try going incognito to a hotel and observe the staff members at work.
3. Hire with caution when considering a comedian as entertainment for a meeting or event. Unless you know your attendees very, very well, and you are positive they will all appreciate blue humor, it's always safe to err on the clean side. You can actually find yourself in litigation if someone in your audience finds the act offensive.
4. Always be alert to emergency situations that might potentially affect your meeting location or your attendees. Free services such as The Emergency Email & Wireless Network provide electronic notifications for selected areas in the event of natural disasters, product recalls and more.
5. Never forget the basics your high school English teacher taught you - always, always proofread your meeting materials before sending them out. A second pair of eyes is often a good idea as well. Let an obvious grammatical transgression or a glaring typo slip through, and you're guaranteed to hear about it!
1. With the proliferation of internet communications, information overall has become an on-demand commodity. Everyone wants answers immediately; make a point to respond to voicemail and email as soon as possible, or risk another provider beating you to the business.
2. Given the time and the budget, any location in the world can be considered a unique venue. However, many do not come ready-made with the essentials of a meeting or event, such as audiovisual equipment, internet connectivity, catering service, electricity, running water… When considering unique venues, it is important to pay special attention to basic logistics.
3. To help increase your credibility as a professional, understand that networking is a give-and-take arrangement. Take an active role in discussion and position yourself as a helpful resource for others, and you will find that they will be more apt to return the favor. 4. View client complaints as positive opportunities to improve your business or offer new services. If they’re complaining, they’re trying to tell you that you can do something different.
5. Many organizations are seeing a rise in popularity for philanthropic meeting and event group activities. Take a look at your group’s programs and consider whether there is an opportunity to plan activities that result in a positive contribution to a community or cause. Attendees will likely appreciate the chance to give back.
1. No matter how good a memory you possess, get all meeting or event details in writing. Not only will this prevent you from possibly forgetting an essential detail, but you will always have a means of backing up your claims if a point falls into question.
2. Before a meeting or event, sit down with your team to determine specific expected outcomes. This will help to add up the ROI on the endeavor. For a product launch, for instance, you can shoot for a predetermines number of media mentions or similar metrics.
3. When deciding on a room set, be sure to consider attendees' personal comfort - not just how many bodies you can fit into a certain number of sq. ft. For a reception, for instance, six to ten sq. ft. of floor space should be allocated to each attendee. 4. Know what you're buying when working with a caterer. "Per person" rates don't typically include service or rental fees; make sure these charges don't surprise you in the end.
5. Check, check and check again with everyone who owes you commitments. Be it a speaker, a vendor or even a venue, confirm all arrangements more than once before an event. It is possible for agreements to be lost or even forgotten without consistent reminders.
1. Any meeting or event can incorporate a theme. If one is not set in place, you can be creative and play off elements such as the nature of the group, the season in which the meeting or event is held or notorious aspects of the destination. 2. When it comes to décor, simple touches can make an elegant - and often inexpensive - impression. Plain white linens, for instance, can be accentuated with boldly colored centerpieces or ribbons for a dramatic effect.
3. Take a look at the meetings and events you yourself attend and decide if they represent beneficial uses of your time. If attending does not deliver needed or desired outcomes, such as education or career resources, consider looking into other options.
4. If you’re asked to organize a meeting at the last minute, consider whether an alternative medium might be better for your organization. In some cases, a teleconference or webinar might be more cost-effective and convenient than a knee-jerk meeting.
5. Before relying on referrals for a speaker, venue or service, take a look at the relationship between the referrer and the party in question. Is it someone you trust who has personally dealt with the individual? Don’t be led astray by “canned” referrals.
1. If you’re planning an outdoor event, always have a backup indoor site. Midwest weather conditions can be unpredictable, and you don’t want your group caught out in the cold… or rain, or wind, or snow, or any of many other possible inclement conditions. 2. Consider different types of room sets in relation to a facility’s capacity. Depending on the desired setup, the number of attendees a room can accommodate might vary widely.
3. Despite the growing popularity of the internet and email communications, don’t rely on these methods to get out the word about your meeting or event. Direct mail is still one of the most effective means of marketing, particularly for a targeted audience such as those who would be interested in your meeting or event topic.
4. When approaching negotiations with a new supplier for the first time, enter into the conversation with a friendly attitude. Even if you’re prepared to play hardball, you’ll get farther if you’re willing to compromise.
5. For meetings of a community or cause-driven nature, follow-up is much appreciated. Attendees want to know they make a difference; let them know you’re grateful for their presence and that you or your organization will be acting on their feedback.
1. If you’re studying for an industry credentials exam, you don’t have to go it alone. Each of the associations that offer designations for meeting and event planners also offer study programs and groups to help you succeed. 2. Due to the oftentimes stressful conditions under which planners work, be especially careful to take time out for yourself. Regular exercise, favorite activities and weekend breaks should not be ignored.
3. Word-of-mouth is priceless in the industry, and you have the power to harness it to promote your next meeting or event. If you solicit testimonials from current attendees to use in meeting materials, potential attendees might respond to praise from familiar names.
4. In creative professions such as meeting and event planning, you don’t have to stick to designated literature. Take in a variety of topics; ideas come from many different sources and you never know where you might find your next great inspiration.
5. If you want to encourage attendees to interact and have fun at a meal function, leave disposable cameras on the tables for their use. Few people can resist snapping off a few shots or hamming it up, and if cameras are returned, you might find yourself with plenty of promotional images for next year.
1. Don’t underestimate the power of CVBs - they can literally be a planner’s dream partner when it comes to meetings and events. If you’re unfamiliar with a destination, a CVB can offer myriad services and assistance, all at no or low cost. 2. As more hotels go smoke-free, make sure your attendees are aware of the policies. Don’t be caught unaware - some properties now carry up to a $200 cleaning fee for instances in which individuals smoke in a non-smoking room.
3. If you’re responsible for regular staff meetings, ensure participants know the schedule - and stick to it. Notify everyone ahead of time that all requests to present during the meeting must be approved by you, and if they are not, they will not be included in the agenda.
4. For unique, localized decorations, consider visiting a nearby or onsite gift shop. Not only might you discover a variety of décor ideas, but you might be able to negotiate a discount on materials used, or even complimentary usage if everything is returned following the meeting or event.
5. Beware the coworkers and family members who might at times try to take advantage of your expertise. If you agree to help plan the occasional personal party or other “non-work” gathering, be careful not to let it affect the planning for which you get paid.
1. When possible, obtain RFPs from area companies to compare with a meeting venue’s onsite providers. Proposals for services such as audiovisual, catering or decorating may come in considerably lower and give you information with which to negotiate.
2. If you're on a tight budget, choose your catered food items wisely in order to offer upscale selections. Rather than ordering several types of high-end food, limit your choices to a select few; this can help to ease the budget while still adding the "wow" factor to the meal.
3. If you’re planning a meeting or event far from home, you might be able to cut your own costs by hiring an independent or freelance planner for some tasks. For instance, the fee to have a local planner inspect the site for you might come in far below your costs of traveling to the location. 4. Rather than hiring decorators and florists, you can save a lot by creating your own centerpieces and decor. Think about the pieces you've seen and how you could re-create the same effect.
5. Always consider the other groups that will be in-house over your meeting or event dates. By piggybacking off of another group, it could be possible to save on rental rates, room setup fees, catering, audiovisual and more.
1. People need variety throughout the day in order to stay alert and attentive. This means getting attendees up and out and about periodically. Don’t have lunch delivered to the meeting room; at least take attendees to a different room or turn them loose to find their own fare.
2. To ensure your speaker - and therefore your meeting - is successful, arm him or her with all the information you can muster about your attendees. A speaker who understands the demographics, age, gender, industry and other pertinent information about an audience is usually able to customize just for that audience. 3. If you have control over the meeting room temperature, it’s safe to tend toward the cool side. Too-warm rooms are likely to make for sleepy attendees.
4. If confidential information is to be covered at your meeting or event, you might consider requiring confidentiality agreements from attendees. No matter how obvious it seems, some people don’t realize they shouldn’t repeat things heard in meetings.
5. If you’re considering a move into independent planning, first take a serious look at your level of self-discipline before deciding to work from home. Can you really detach yourself from household matters while surrounded by them? Will your family understand (and respect) your need to focus? Carefully weigh the pros and cons of a home office vs. rented office space.
1. If you’re considering using a convention center for the first time, understand it’s likely other groups will be using the center at the same time. To avoid possible conflicts, inquire as to the nature of other conventions or events taking place in the center over your dates. 2. When looking for giveaway items or prizes for a meeting or event, consider involving area businesses. Some retailers may be open to donating items in hopes of increasing their exposure to your group.
3. Environmentally conscious behavior is catching on more and more within the meetings industry. At the very least, consider requesting recycling bins for your meetings and events to conserve waste. You may find a large percentage of your attendees appreciate the gesture.
4. If you’ve had past issues with attendees booking outside your room block, consider raising registration fees for those who do so. Include an explanation of the difference, indicating the increase is to cover additional expenses incurred through attrition. Attendees faced with higher fees may be encouraged to book within the block.
5. Have a desired date and an alternate date in mind when beginning your site selection process. This may get you more flexibility from property staff and help you to be able to negotiate better rates.
1. Remember, accidents can happen to anyone at a meeting or event - including you! Can the show go on without you? Be sure to have a backup plan in place in case you somehow become unable to perform onsite due to injury, illness or other complications. 2. If a college or university near you offers a meetings management course, consider working out a reciprocal agreement with the instructor. You could solicit volunteer work from students in exchange for credit from the instructor.
3. Encourage interaction with potential attendees through your pre-meeting mailings. Rather than simply announcing the meeting, include calls to action inviting people to pre-register, sign up for email news alerts, participate in online discussions or other activities related to the meeting.
4. Rather than resist new technologies, embrace them now and learn how to best utilize them for your meetings. For instance, implementing online meetings for some of your groups may prove more convenient and cost-effective than face-to-face meetings. Evaluating different types of groups and their “virtual” possibilities could put you ahead of the pack.
5. When conducting a small staff meeting, it’s important to keep everyone on track with the agenda. Tangents and interpersonal conversations can sidetrack a meeting, resulting in unresolved issues or questions. A facilitator may be necessary to see that agenda items are covered and meeting goals are met.
1. When marketing a meeting to potential attendees, word your materials so the prospect always comes first. Instead of phrases like “ABC Organization will teach you how to…” try using “You will learn how to…” This approach focuses on the attendee rather than the organization and answers what’s in it for me? more effectively.
2. If you’re planning to strike out on your own as an independent, give serious consideration to the work environment you’ll need. Some people need the structure of a professional office setting in order to focus; others thrive on working in the comfort of their own homes. Take an honest look at your work habits before making this decision.
3. If outside workers or volunteers are assisting with your meeting, include them in your morning staff briefings rather than only informing their supervisor or coordinator of the day’s logistics. This way everyone will be on the same page, and these helpers will feel more like they’re part of the team than if you simply allow instructions to be passed on.
4. To minimize meeting expenses and still book the venue you want, consider the time of year you’re booking your meeting. All properties have their off-peak times and - if you can be flexible with your meeting dates - can often offer special rates and packages for groups. 5. If you’re uncertain about the wording of a contract, it’s perfectly acceptable to have an attorney review it before you sign. Many contracts in the meetings industry contain confusing, convoluted clauses.
1. If you’re unable to obtain firm quotes from suppliers on a meeting that is a year or more out, obtain from them, in writing, a guaranteed maximum percentage of increase. When putting together your budget, add this percentage on to estimated costs to ensure you write in enough to cover potential price hikes.
2. Large meetings and events can leave a positive impact on the cities in which they’re held. In addition to the boost to local hotels, restaurants and stores, consider collecting donations from your attendees to benefit a charity local to your meeting site. 3. If you’re running short on meeting money, be careful with the items on which you cut back. Most attendees probably won’t notice cheaper tablecloths than last year’s, but they’ll definitely notice cheaper food.
4. To encourage continuing discussion of presentation topics, try to book a speaker who is willing to attend networking meals and functions. Speakers who flee the meeting as soon as they’ve delivered their conclusions don’t allow attendees to ask questions or “get a moment alone” to discuss any points in further detail.
5. Be sure to review properties’ emergency response procedures carefully, as they may differ from yours. Any needed changes relating to your group should be clarified with hotel staff and obtained in writing before you sign a contract.
1. A repertoire of key talking points can make responding to RFPs faster and easier for independent planners. Always be prepared to demonstrate clearly and efficiently what you can do for a client. 2. To reach the widest range of potential attendees, promote your event in several different mediums. Print advertising, online advertising, radio or TV commercials, direct mail, email announcements, public relations, press releases, media interviews and blogging all reach varying audiences.
3. If you need some extra onsite assistance, look to an area college or university. Most have hospitality programs from which you can recruit student volunteers or temps to help with your meeting or event.
4. More people are using the internet today for their research than ever before, and a website is one of the most cost-effective marketing tools out there. Even a simple site will ensure you have an online presence for your services or event, providing an easy way for people to find and learn about you.
5. When booking space with a conference center, be ready to make firm commitments. Some centers hold space as far as a decade in advance, so clear communication of your needs is essential.
1. When meeting with multiple departments, first cover the subjects that affect everyone. Then, as you move into topics that may only apply to certain departments or certain people, allow those who are uninvolved in the discussion to leave the meeting. This will allow them to go back to work and save boredom and frustration surrounding the meeting.
2. Being prepared for emergencies means being prepared ahead of time. Ask about a property’s emergency plan during the first site inspection. Inform the property you will want to exchange written emergency procedures upon contracting. 3. When preparing a call for presentations, be sure to outline acceptable speaker behavior. In addition to desired topics, specify the limits and extents of self-promotion of products or services that you will allow during the presentation.
4. If you’re planning a high-profile celebrity appearance for your event, coordinate with the celebrity ahead of time on publicity issues. Find out if you’ll need to provide a security escort to guard against swarms of fans or media personnel.
5. When budget planning, expect some variations. Build an extra 5% to 10% into your budget to cover any unexpected meeting costs that may arise.
1. The master bill will rarely be correct the first time, due to the multitude of charges and details included. Be sure to examine every itemized charge from start to finish so you don’t end up paying for more than you got.
2. With that point in mind, many properties include a clause stating that payment is due within “X” number of days of invoicing. You can reword this clause to state payment is due within “X” number of days of the date that both parties agree on the invoice amount.
3. Be on the lookout to ensure contract clauses are fair to both parties. Property contracts are naturally written in favor of the property, and the meeting planner is responsible for negotiations. 4. When planning for a large buffet-style meal, a general rule calls for one line for every 100 people. This adds up to about a 20-minute wait for food. Any more per line may result in long waits and cranky attendees.
5. To evaluate your meeting, get feedback from both sides of the fence. Your attendees will tell you if the meeting benefited them, and your stakeholders will tell you if the meeting met their goals and objectives.
1. Make a habit of providing meals before alcoholic drinks. Consuming alcohol on an empty stomach as opposed to after eating will result in increased levels of intoxication among attendees. 2. In order to protect your room block, include a clause in the hotel contract specifying that rates lower than your group rates will not be offered during your meeting. This will help to ensure attendees won’t find a lower rate and book outside your block.
3. If you’re expecting international attendees, spend some time familiarizing yourself with their cultural customs. Gift-giving, for example, may be expected by some or considered inappropriate by others.
4. When attendees register in advance, make sure they know what will happen next. With online registration, you can set up a confirmation email that will inform attendees if registration materials will be delivered by email or mail or if they will be expected to pick them up onsite.
5. Before planning to record a speech, make sure you’ve obtained written permission from the speaker. Include language in the contract clearly stating that you intend to record and distribute the material. Distributing a speech without permission could be an infringement on the speaker’s intellectual property rights.
1. To create new buzz ahead of time, set up a blog dedicated to your meeting or event. Here you can post teasers, discuss information to be presented or even debate related issues with potential attendees, all in an easily accessible, interactive online environment.
2. When negotiating sponsorship opportunities, ask yourself what value the sponsorship will bring to your attendees. Logo banners on the walls aren’t very useful to passers-by; sponsored room drop items, on the other hand, will probably make an impression. 3. If you’re considering switching to a new or exotic locale, keep some basic geography in mind. Attendees accustomed to a short drive to the meeting might be miffed if they’re suddenly expected to cough up airfare.
4. To increase ROI on a tradeshow, you might consider co-sponsoring with another organization that has similar objectives. This may decrease costs and pay off in extra attendance, benefiting both organizations.
5. If sleeping rooms and meeting rooms are not in the same building, take into consideration the transportation time between locations. When scheduling programs, give everyone time to get to where they need to be.
1. If your attendees are required to attend the meeting or event as a job duty, enthusiasm may be lacking. Make special efforts to engage these attendees by offering relevant, interactive content based on their immediate work needs. 2. Keep cultural differences in mind when selecting meeting dates. Websites such as www.interfaithcalendar.org are an easy tool for respecting and avoiding dates such as important religious holidays.
3. To make tracking of meeting income easier, set up a separate bank account in advance of your meeting, into which all registration fees and other advance income will be deposited. This way, all meeting-related income will be easily accessible in one spot.
4. To better facilitate learning and takeaway for attendees, break them up into small groups and provide active learning environments. Most people interact and respond more in a small, involved group than in a large, passive gathering.
5. Stay on top of the final bill - make a point to review all meeting charges either daily or before you leave the site. Reconciling accounts onsite is often much easier than doing so remotely after the fact.
1. Don’t meet for the sake of meeting. If your company or organization conducts a regular “weekly meeting,” it doesn’t necessarily have to fill an allotted time. Cover what needs to be covered and then adjourn - attendees may appreciate an early end. 2. When coming up with sponsorship opportunities, keep an open mind and be creative. A general rule of thumb: If it has a surface, it can be sponsored!
3. To foster friendly, respectful planner-supplier relationships, always let vendors and suppliers know promptly if you select another company. This way they will not be waiting on an answer from you, and it will show that you appreciate their time.
4. When negotiating contracts for meetings that are one or more years out, include a clause on what will happen if renovations or changes of flag/ownership should occur before or during the time of your meeting. 5. Scheduled breaks are essential for keeping attendees alert and aware. To keep the meeting productive, a short break should be scheduled at least every hour and a half.
1. Give back to the communities in which you hold your meetings. Check into area programs which may allow you to donate your meeting's leftover food and beverage items. Some hotels and caterers already have such programs in place. 2. Know your attendees before choosing a 100% non-smoking property. Smokers in your group may be irritated by the property's policy, and this may impact the productivity of the meeting.
3. During site inspections, don't forget to evaluate the overall safety of the surrounding area. A simple call to the local police department may give you a more realistic idea of what precautions need to be taken for attendees who may venture away from the meeting facility.
4. In order to combat any "surprise" charges that may arise, include a simple clause in your contracts stating that no fees will be charged in addition to those included in the contract. This way, all costs and charges can be outlined, and you'll know what to expect.
5. When planning a themed event, save money and time by choosing a facility that already has its own theme. For example, waterpark properties may already have an established beach or tropical theme you can work into your functions.
1. Don't let attrition surprise you when the final bill arrives. On every night of your group's stay, check on reservations and get the occupancy percentage for your block per night. 2. When preparing the meeting agenda, include notes on what will be expected of attendees during the meeting. This will help reduce the number of forgotten notes or reports, and may help the meeting run more smoothly.
3. When possible, consider planning for your attendees to arrive at the hotel on Sunday. This is typically a "quiet" day for hotels and may result in better rates. In addition, checking in on Sunday will allow your attendees to get settled in just in time for a Monday full of meetings. 4. To avoid paying unnecessary taxes, negotiate a clause in your contract indicating taxes will not be charged for attrition.
5. When possible, schedule important, information-filled meetings in the morning. People are almost always more productive and attentive first thing in the morning, as opposed to an afternoon after a long day.