WHERE TO GO Consider
a few key points when choosing your location: geography, accessibility
for attendees, budget, facilities and nearby attractions. You want
attendees to enjoy themselves at your meeting, and travel with relative
ease.
Stop Meaningless Team-Building
Wall Street Journal columnist Jared Sandberg began the New Year by suggesting that corporations resolve to “lose the goofy teambuilding exercises” (“Can Spending a Day Stuck to a Velcro Wall Help Build a Team?” 1/1/07). I could not agree more.
Survey Says Planners are Workaholics
Perhaps representing the perfect microcosm of the American workforce, meeting planners are working hard at their jobs and find it difficult to take extended periods of time off.
Building Media Hype for Special Events
If your meeting or special event warrants publicity and media attention (for example, if it features a celebrity, an expert in the field, or a government official), you should consider doing both pre-event and post-event publicity and media contact.
5W's of Meeting Planning
Remember the 5 W’s of meeting planning when embarking a new meeting plan: Why are we meeting; What do we want to accomplish; Who’s coming; Where are we going; When will we meet? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you get off to a good start.
One Week Out
One week before your meeting, confirm your meeting schedule, number of attendees, room set-up, AV needs, meal and reception schedules and sleeping room count.
Familiarise Yourself with the Hotel
Become familiar with the hotel’s facilities and the capabilities of its staff. And choose a hotel partner you can trust to guide your decisions accordingly. If possible, inspect the hotel before you book. Be sure to inspect the guest rooms and function halls. See if you can meet key staff while you’re there, including the Sales Manager or Meeting Director.