Planning Your First Business Meeting?
So...you’ve just been assigned the responsibility of
planning a business meeting...your first one. It
doesn’t matter how many people will be attending or
how many days the meeting will last. The basics of
corporate event planning are pretty much the same.
But what comes first?
The Meeting Agenda
The first thing you must know is the reason the
meeting is being held, and what the expected outcome
is. Only then can you begin your meeting planning.
The Meeting Budget
Before you can do anything, you must first know how
much money you have to spend. Knowing your budget
will help corporate event planning variables fall
into place, such as:
-
Location:
In-town or remote. This can have the greatest
impact on facility, lodging and transportation
expenses.
-
Facility:
In-house, hotel or resort.
-
Equipment:
Yours, the facility’s or outside rental.
-
Accommodations:
Single rooms, double rooms or condos.
-
Catering:
Sit-down banquet or buffet; beverages; breaks.
-
Speakers: Company or outside.
-
Printed Materials & Handouts:
In-house or outside.
-
Entertainment:
-
Prizes & Gifts:
-
Transportation:
Auto or air.
Tip: Always set aside a certain amount of your
business meeting budget (5–10%) for those inevitable
unforeseen expenses that will most certainly pop up
along the way.
The Meeting Date
Have at least two dates in mind: A preferred date
and a "just in case" alternate date. That way, when
you start checking out available facilities, you'll
be able to choose the best option based on the
number of people who can attend. Alternate dates
also mean you can negotiate for better prices.
Consider a weekend. Many companies take advantage of
discounted air fares available with a Saturday night
stay. Depending on the location and/or facility,
weekends are often discounted.
The Meeting Location
On-site or off-site: While holding a business
meeting on-site may seem like the best cost-savings
option, on-site business meetings at offices come
with productivity-reducing distractions. Local
business meeting attendees are more likely to run
back to their offices to check email and other
messages, and those from out-of-town are likely to
visit other local employees during breaks and other
times. Subtle influences such as office politics and
“organizational baggage” are often hanging in the
air, affecting attendee attitudes. People are
normally more refreshed at off-site conference
venues, and able to truly focus on the meeting
agenda. Upfront meeting facility expenses are
frequently recovered in increased productivity.
In-town or remote: In-town business meetings
are almost always more cost-effective than those
held out of town, primarily because of
transportation and lodging expenses. But the
benefits of allowing “locals” to get out of the
office on occasion often far outweigh the expenses,
through improved morale and productivity.
Meeting Equipment
Today’s meeting-room requirements are more than four
walls, a few chairs and a couple of flip charts.
Business meeting attendees are likely to bring
laptops to access and present computer-based
information. You will need a means of projecting
that information for presentations to the group. A
speedy Internet connection is becoming a standard.
Will videoconferencing tools be required? Who will
provide the equipment? Will you require an on-site
technician?
Be Flexible In Planning Business Meetings
Undoubtedly, something will go wrong. With so many
variables and logistics, some aspects are simply
beyond your control. Who knows...your hotel may be
overbooked, the caterers might not show up, or your
main presenter may get re-routed through Brazil. The
important thing is to keep your cool. You can reduce
headaches by planning flexibility. Prepare yourself
for bumps so that, when they present themselves, you
can calmly address their circumstances. |
