Meetings can eat into people’s busy working day, so it’s important to make sure time out of the office is time well spent, says Miguel Neves. The first step to holding a successful meeting is to ask questions and make sure you understand the desired outcome. The objectives don’t need to be complex, but everyone involved should have a clear idea of what the meeting is trying to achieve.
There are a number of key questions that can be asked in order to grasp the full scope of the meeting, such as: When will the meeting take place? Is there a preferred venue? How many participants are there and who are they? Do any VIPs require special attention? Are name badges required? Is a guest speaker needed? Where will the participants come from and how will they travel to the meeting? Do any participants have special needs? What food and beverage will be required? Is any IT, specific network/wifi connection, or audio-visual support needed? How should the room be set up? Will any participants require accommodation? What are the participants’ expectations?
It’s good practice to think the meeting through from start to finish for each individual participant, or type of participant. This process may raise interesting questions and help create a better meeting experience.
Once the scope is determined you can request proposals from venues, hotels, catering companies, or any other suppliers. Keep in mind that booking a venue to fit a desired date and time is likely to be the most crucial element. Before starting any search it is worth checking if your company has any preferred supplier agreements or special discounts.
There are a number of online resources where you can search for all the suppliers needed. As you choose your suppliers make sure you double-check on the legal and insurance requirements for your meeting, as well as any industry-specific rules and guidelines. A good tip here is to look for someone in your network who may have organised a similar meeting or worked with the venue before.
When you make your selection, try to have at least three comparable proposals, but keep in mind that having too many can be counter-productive. This should allow you to negotiate prices across the different options. For the best prices, keep in mind that spring and autumn tend to be the periods of highest demand and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the busiest days of the week. If you have any flexibility on the date of the meeting you can use this to your advantage.
Make sure all participants have the information they need to prepare for the meeting in plenty of time and instructions on how they are expected to participate. On the day itself it’s crucial to share your detailed plan, particularly if you cannot be on site. Make sure that whoever is standing in for you is aware of any pre-arranged back-up plan that can be rolled out if things don’t go to as anticipated. This should also include the details of venue/supplier contact information, a detailed breakdown of the meeting agenda, a list and contact details of participants and any contractual material.
As participants arrive make sure that the meeting room is easy to find, especially if the participants do not speak the language of the country where the event is being held. Generic company banners or specific meeting banners can be used to create signage, but don’t overlook the need to brief venue staff. If any name badges are being used, make sure these are laid out in a logical manner so that the check-in process is efficient.
Once the meeting is over, check if the meeting objectives were met. Are there actionable items that need to be chased? Will there be a follow-up meeting? Even if the answer to both questions is no, post-event communication is always welcome. This applies equally to all suppliers, who will welcome feedback.
Miguel Neves is Senior Online Community Manager at IMEX Group and President of the UK & Ireland Chapter of MPI. Find out more about its work at mpiuk.org
