tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33106275109176148612024-03-08T13:50:16.283-08:00Plan It Like A ProMeeting planning tips and tricks from a certified meeting professional with over 25 years' experience in the hospitality and meeting planning industry. Use my tips to save you time and money while planning events and meetings that will wow your attendees!Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-2355707860948339862011-01-26T18:55:00.001-08:002011-01-26T19:03:46.396-08:00Speaker Stranded and Can't Make it to your Meeting? Skype to the Rescue!Recently I had a conference here in Austin that had multiple speakers from all over the US. The day before our conference started, a large storm hit the northeastern US and several of my speakers were unable to fly out of their destination. Rather than scrambling to replace them on the program, we met with our onsite AV team at the hotel and arranged to Skype them in. We already had large screens, laptop and an LCD projector in the room. It simply required wired Internet access in the meeting space, and a couple of additions to the AV Equipment order. The AV technician had a Skype account and each speaker had a Skype account. We made sure to Skype the night before to make sure it worked on both ends and to iron out any kinks in advance. It was a lifesaver and so easy to do!Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-81958808755163834402011-01-26T18:48:00.000-08:002011-01-26T18:51:27.511-08:00Site Visits That Deliver ResultsYou’ve developed an RFP for your meeting, distributed it, received proposals from interested properties, created a spreadsheet for comparing properties and have narrowed down the list of all the potentials to the properties that look the best on paper. Your next step should be a site inspection of your top properties in order to determine which one works the best for your meeting.<br /><br />If you have been working with the local CVB, they will be happy to make all the arrangements for your visit, setting up appointments at each property, picking you up at the airport and accompanying you on your visits. If you didn’t send your lead out through the bureau, you’ll need to make your own appointments; I like to allow at least two hours per property, more if a meal is included.<br /><br />I use a checklist of items I have defined as being important to my group, so I can make sure I’m looking at the same things at each property and I provide the checklist to my hotel contact ahead of time so they can tailor the site inspection to meet my needs. If I’m conducting the site with several others, such as conference chairs, clients, etc. I find it can be hard to keep everyone in the group focused. One solution I’ve found works well is to give each person an area of the checklist that they are responsible for collecting information and making notes on for our discussions afterward.<br />I take a digital camera and a flip video camera along so I can capture images of the property for use later when I’m making my arrangements. This is really helpful for capturing the flow of public space and event space, which helps when I’m trying to visualize the layout for receptions, exhibit space or registration areas when I’m back in my office.<br /><br />When you’re onsite, you’ll want to visualize how your meeting might fit into the facility and continue to adapt your vision as you tour. Once you’ve seen the entire space, you might completely change where you place meetings from what you initially planned. Stay flexible and adaptable, and keep an open mind when presented with options by the hotel staff for how your meeting might work best at their property.<br /><br />Observe how other meetings going on during your site are staged, noting unusual setups, how the space looks set in your preferred manner, and see if you can identify any potential problem areas that might negatively impact your meeting. If you have a chance, visit with meeting planners onsite to see how their meeting is going and get some honest feedback on the property.<br /><br />Try and spend some time on your own in the properties so you can experience the property as your attendees might. I usually try to come in the night before starting site visits and have dinner or drinks at one property, visit another for coffee the next morning before my appointments start and just observe how the staff interacts with guests.<br />Knowing what your attendees value the most in a meeting facility and what you need from a hotel to ensure a successful conference are essential to conducting a successful site inspection. Keeping those factors at the forefront of your decision making process, ensures you’ll find the right property for your needs.Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-67830690805102054162010-08-22T23:10:00.000-07:002010-08-22T23:12:06.661-07:00Meeting Room Layouts Designed to Engage Attendees<p class="MsoNoSpacing">One of the mistakes meeting planners frequently make is to not pay enough attention to the layout and design of their meeting rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Too often planners are more concerned with accommodating the most people possible in a space instead of designing an environment that is conducive to meeting the goals and objectives of the event.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For your next meeting, why not commit to creating an environment that promotes interaction, engages attendees and provides a comfortable, safe space to meet?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Start with the meeting’s purpose, goals and objectives: <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Are you planning a session where attendees will be simply listening to a keynote or watching a presentation on screen?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If so, then straight-row theatre seating should be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>If your goal is to increase interaction among attendees, in an environment where they can see other attendees and share information, then you’ll need to create a layout that promotes interaction.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In a large group, this might mean curved row seating, or placing the facilitator or speaker in the center and setting the room in the round.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Anytime you allow people to see the faces of the other attendees you increase their opportunity to interact and engage with others.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>If your attendees need to have table space to work in small groups, you might want to consider a T set for the room, with two or three people at the head and two-three people on each side of the center row of each T.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I find this preferable to using rounds or crescent rounds for a group, as it brings the participants closer together and controls the noise level as they aren’t talking across a large open table.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Are you planning a formal banquet?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Consider a mixture of different sized rounds for 6, 8, or 10 combined with some rectangle or square seating.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This creates a more visually pleasing look for the room and instantly adds energy to the room as attendees react to the different set.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While you’re at it, change up the linens and napkin colors and specify a different napkin fold for each type of table.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A search for napkin folds will return several websites with illustrated folds to help spark your creativity.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I always ask the facility what color linens they have available and make sure to vary colors at the events and if need be, allocate funds for linen rentals. Using colored linens is an extremely easy way to add excitement to an event for a small amount of money.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Create a comfortable, safe space for your attendees to spend time in:</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Too often rooms are set with the stage or speaker at the head of the room on the short wall, resulting in a “bowling alley” setting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When you have more than 100 attendees, set the front of the room on the long wall so as to decrease the distance between the last row of the audience and the speaker in order to make it easier and more comfortable for your attendees to see the stage and screen.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>How many times have you been asked to add chairs to a room with people standing in back when there are actually plenty of chairs in the room if people would just sit in the seats in the middle of the rows that are open?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Too often those standing in the back and on the sides are clustered around doors thereby creating an unsafe situation in case of an emergency. I use some principles of audience centered seating outlined in<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Dr. Paul Radde’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">SEATING MATTERS State of the Art Seating Arrangements</span></i> book that help eliminate these problems.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>First, I have the facility set the last row of seating on the back wall, leaving a wide aisle between it and the second to last row.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This allows people to walk in front of the last row to get to the side aisles but doesn’t allow them to stand at the back in front of those seated.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Speaking of side aisles, make sure the facility leaves several feet at the end of each row to allow people to move up the sides to move in to empty seats.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is important in case of emergency and also helps those who might need to leave during the session.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Another principle of Dr. Radde’s is to use cut-in access aisles by removing<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>a center chair from each row to allow people in the back to move up the middle of a group of rows into those empty middle seats. To learn more about audience centered seating, you can obtain a copy of Dr. Radde’s book on his website at <a href="http://www.thrival.com/">www.thrival.com</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Make sure you create a comfortable, safe environment with easy access to all exits and comfortable seating.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I prefer that the facility not lock the seats together in a row, as it limits the ability of the attendees to rearrange seating to be more comfortable or to move into small groups if needed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For one of my clients, we add a couple of rows of comfortable couches and easy chairs provided by the convention decorator to the front of the general session room, which has helped to make sure people don’t leave the front row empty and provides an option to those who need more comfortable seating than a meeting chair. </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">By creating an environment designed with your attendees’ objectives, goals, comfort and safety in mind you’ll ensure your meetings are enjoyable for everyone involved.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So the next time you get ready to provide your meeting specifications to a facility take some time to take all these things into consideration and you’re bound to have a successful meeting enjoyed by all!</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-80182682638932107112010-08-22T23:05:00.000-07:002010-08-22T23:10:03.787-07:00Planning a Company Outing Sure to Wow Your Crowd<p class="MsoNormal">Do your job duties involve planning the annual company picnic or outing?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With the downturn in the economy, many firms are scaling back and looking for ways to trim expenses while still providing a fun time for their employees and families.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you’re in charge of this year’s company picnic, here are some tips to ensure a good time will be had by all:</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Think outside the box- </b>If you are tasked with planning an event with less money and can’t afford an all inclusive corporate picnic facility or ranch, consider a state or local park to hold your outing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Your local parks and recreation department can provide a list of facilities, as can the local convention and visitors bureau. If you really have no money to rent an outside facility, consider holding the event on the grounds of your facility and rent tents for shade and shelter.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Select Your Site Wisely</b>- You’ll want to look for a space with ample room, diverse amenities such as ball fields, playscapes, ponds, etc. and adequate parking for attendees as well as a building or covered pavilion in case of inclement weather.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Make sure there is electricity for the caterer, <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>inflatables, music or sound amplification, and plenty of shade, trashcans, bathrooms and hydration stations or make arrangements to rent portable toilets, water fountains and hand sanitation stations.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Having a rain date and method for communicating a change in plans to attendees is always a good idea.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Make sure you make arrangements for first aid as well.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Theme your event to provide a sense of cohesion</b>-<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whether it’s patriotic, county fair, traditional picnic, luau, western, Mexican fiesta, beach fun or Mardi Gras select a theme and match your invitations, decorations, games, craft activities, prizes, giveaways and meal choice to that theme.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For decorations, crafts and paper goods, check out <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/">http://www.orientaltrading.com/</a> or your local dollar store, as I’ve recently seen all of those themes in both locations.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Keep them well fed and they’ll be happy- </b>When it comes to meal planning, determine how long your event will last and what meal times your event will span.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Consider having your event start in mid afternoon and provide lemonade, tea, water, popcorn, watermelon, and snow cones to tide people over until the meal is served around dinner time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When planning the menu, take into account any dietary restrictions your guests may have and make arrangements for that.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Remember, people will be at your mercy when it comes to food and beverage, so make sure you have a clear understanding of any special needs they may have and plan accordingly.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Plan Plenty of Activities</b>- Again, linking your theme with planned activities is important, so look for ways to personalize crafts and activities to match.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If money is tight, consider paying a local youth group from a school or church to run crafts and games, paint faces, babysit toddlers, lead team building activities, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ve attended picnics where a local high school dance team ran all the games and provided child care as a fundraiser, and my local high school has a Peer Assistance Class which is experienced in leading team building activities; many schools have these same programs in place.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you want to try something current and topical, check out the site for NBC’s Minute to Win It game show where you can learn how to recreate the challenges.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You can also go online and search for “Team Building Activities” where you’ll find sites to check out with plenty of games and activities that can be easily adapted to your theme. Don’t forget to bring bingo, Frisbees, volleyballs, nets, croquet sets, lawn darts, hula hoops, badminton sets, bats, balls and gloves as well as other yard games for your more active attendees.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Look for Deals on the Internet</b>- I find Craigslist a great resource for low cost rental of inflatables such as moonwalks and water slides, as well as pop-up tents, tables and chairs, snow cone, cotton candy and popcorn machine rentals.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s also a great place to hire a DJ, face painter, balloon artist, clown or any other type of entertainment; just make sure to check references. </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Ask your Vendors for Sponsorship</b>- If your company policy allows, consider approaching your vendors for assistance in sponsoring big ticket items, or even donations of smaller items for door prizes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>From the company that provides your coffee and stocks your vending machines, to your printer or janitorial company, many would be willing to provide assistance or a donation of an item.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The key to a successful employee event is getting buy in from your group on timing, location, activities, theme, food and beverage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So make sure you involve co-workers from a cross section of the company so they can help with the planning as well as help build excitement and interest in the event.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you keep these tips in mind, you can have a fun, safe and uneventful company outing that people will remember fondly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don’t forget to drink plenty of fluids and keep applying the sun block!</p>Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-36575441008592644422010-03-10T21:11:00.001-08:002010-03-10T21:11:47.985-08:00On Site Meeting Management Tips· Make sure all staff and volunteers have clearly defined roles, with detailed job descriptions and adequate pre-event training. <br />· When thinking about training staff and volunteers to do their onsite jobs consider different scenarios and provide answers to FAQs and their job duties in writing. This document can be modified for your meeting each year to reflect situations that arise onsite.<br />· Empower staff and volunteers to handle issues that arise in order to free your time to oversee the entire conference. <br />· Provide plenty of communication tools for the staff and volunteers, to include two-way radios, cell phone numbers for all key staff printed on a laminated card that can be slipped into their name badge holders, volunteer coordinators, runners, etc.<br />· For a large conference with many volunteers, set up a volunteer lounge where all volunteers check in and get their work assignments. Designate one or two staff or lead volunteers to staff this room and manage all volunteers, making sure they have checked in, give them any materials, provide them a contact person to contact and tell them how to ask for assistance. I like to stock the lounge with refreshments, provide pizza or box lunches, and make sure there is seating for them to take a lunch break, etc. Make sure volunteers know that any questions go to the lead volunteers in the lounge and only allow lead volunteers to contact you or come into the staff office to prevent being overrun.<br />· Provide staff and volunteers with a uniform, be it a bandana, t-shirt or polo shirt, to clearly identify them as part of the meeting management team. <br />· Hold daily staff meeting, either late at night or over an early breakfast each day to update people to changes, answer questions and find out what is working.<br />· Meet daily with the banquet manager and/or accounting office to review all charges and make corrections as needed to the master account. I find that meeting after the morning coffee break to review the previous days’ charges works well. Meeting daily on accounting issues makes for a much smoother processing of the master bill when it arrives at the office.<br />· Make sure you have a pre-con meeting with hotel staff, including any of your key staff or volunteers as needed. If the GM doesn’t attend the pre-con, ask to meet them the first day of the event so you have a contact name in case of issues. Even if it’s only a small meeting, I will meet with the CSM, AV and Banquet managers. If it’s a conference that will be returning to the property, consider a post-con meeting to review what worked well and areas for improvement.Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-6224467448600053642010-03-10T21:01:00.000-08:002010-03-10T21:03:50.282-08:00Tips For Engaging Meeting AttendeesI just picked up an interesting new book, <em>Death by Meetings: A Leadership Fable About Solving the Most Painful Process in Business </em>by Patrick M. Lencioni, and if that title doesn’t give you an accurate picture of how most people tend to view meetings, than I don’t know what would. What can we as meeting organizers do to create meetings that our attendees will enjoy participating in rather than dreading each time they see a meeting notice? <br /><br />Here’s some simple tips for engaging your meeting attendees and creating dynamic learning environments:<br />· Set your meeting space up using audience centered seating principles that focus on attendee comfort and ease of interaction. Paul O. Radde, PhD, has an excellent book, <em>Seating Matters: State of the Art Seating Matters</em> that explains this principle in detail and provides excellent diagrams you can provide to set-up crews. You can purchase the book through <a href="http://www.thrival.com/">http://www.thrival.com</a>.<br />· Engage all the audience’s senses: Use different colored linens, themed props, toys, scents, etc. to promote the atmosphere you want to create.<br />· Create visual interest by using colored paper for handouts.<br />· Enhance learning by using black, blue, green or purple for text on flip charts, alternating colors for contrast and highlighting with orange, red or pink<br />· Personalize name tags to encourage conversation by adding personal information, such as first concert attended, favorite childhood game, subject area I need help with, subject area I’m an expert in.<br />· Pump up the Volume! Use walk in and walk out music to set the tone for the meeting, this also helps promote group movement which helps when transitioning between sessions<br />· Keep attendees focused: Use a “power clap” to increase energy level in the room, refocus attendees and get attendees on the same wavelength. Take short energizing breaks during long presentations with short physical activity, such as stretching, doing the wave, shouting out favorite movie titles, etc.<br />· Make Sure Everyone is on the Same Track: Use cell phone text polling to collect audience feedback; for low cost audience polling check out <a href="http://www.polleverywhere.com/">http://www.polleverywhere.com/</a>.<br />· Twitter: Assign your event a hash tag and encourage users to twitter about their experience while in the sessions. Use a twitter fountain for Q&A to capture and display questions from the audience during the session.Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-24915643492351955592010-02-04T21:17:00.000-08:002010-02-04T21:19:48.263-08:00Going Green: Saving Money while Saving the Planet, One Meeting at a TimeDespite what Kermit the Frog might think, it can be easy to be green, especially when it comes to planning environmentally friendly meetings. Corporate social responsibility is a hot topic right now in the business world, and since meetings are a highly visible reflection of your company, they have the potential to help make or break your firm’s reputation in this area. More and more companies are introducing sustainability practices into their corporate culture and meetings are ideally suited to assist with this goal.<br /><br />Here are some helpful tips to help green your meetings:<br />· Consider the impact of attendee’s travel on the environment when making site selection decisions. Choose locations that are centrally located and easy to reach with minimal air or car travel as the first step to reducing your meeting’s carbon footprint. Is the destination on a train or rapid transit line, or are there public transportation options that would make it easy for attendees to reach the meeting? <br />· Consider including green criteria into your site selection/RFP process. Simply adding in questions about the location’s sustainability and green practices can assist you with determining which location would be a better fit for your own green initiatives. Sometimes, by you asking for this, it can cause a hotel to rethink how they conduct their own operations. Consider asking your hotel/convention center to: Provide compostable plastic cups and disposable cutlery; offer onsite recycling for paper, plastic and aluminum in the meeting space for attendees’ use; serve food and beverage in bulk, including bowls or dispensers of sugar, sweetener and cream vs. packets; replace water bottles with water coolers.<br />· Go Vegetarian: Replace one or more meat-based meals with vegetarian, locally grown or sourced entrees to both save you money and reduce your carbon footprint. Additionally, especially at lunches, these lighter meals tend to rejuvenate attendees rather than make them sleepy and lethargic. Work with the culinary staff, and consider doing a tasting of a variety of options prior to making your final choice. Many hotels now have wonderfully prepared vegetarian options on their banquet menus already. While you’re at it, ask the hotel their policy about reusing or donating your leftover food to local charities.<br />· Whenever possible, go paperless. Consider creating your program brochures and promotional materials as online documents, rather than printed pieces. Many groups have found little to no problem with replacing their promotional and program materials and, with the rise in use of social media, the ability to market your meeting online makes these types of materials ideally suited. Instead of producing conference handouts, load speaker handouts onto your website and grant access to conference attendees in advance so they print only the materials they want or need. I recommend you send an email with a direct link to the materials and keep the materials online for a specific period of time after the conference.<br />· Rethink your own policies and ways of doing things. Instead of producing signs that will be used just once and then discarded, rethink how you use signage. If your budget allows, consider replacing signs with plasma screens placed in high traffic areas with continuously looped slides promoting events, thanking sponsors, acknowledging exhibitors, etc. If you must print signs, use generic logos so they can be reused. Ask your sign maker to print signs on both sides so you can use a sign for one function and reuse it for another. Switch from bottled water to water coolers or water pitchers. Recycle name badge holders and lanyards.<br />· Take some time to sit down with your coworkers to brainstorm and think of ways you can reduce both your waste and your carbon footprint. Set a goal of evaluating your meetings with an eye toward making your meetings greener each and every time you plan one. You’ll find you can save money while saving the planet, one meeting at a time.Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-39048557626939308322010-02-04T21:10:00.000-08:002010-02-04T21:17:40.811-08:00An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of CureAccording to the CDC and the World Health Organization, we are primed for a strong season of Swine Flu, and it will peak in mid-October. I have a conference for 1000 international attendees the third week of October, so I had already begun to think about how this might affect my conference. If you have any meetings during this upcoming flu season, have you given any thought to how this might impact your meeting?<br /><br />Here are some preventative measures you can and should take:<br /><br /><ul><li>Consider the impact a health crisis would have on your meeting in particular, financial implications if attendance declines because of fear of travel, travel restrictions set by local health authorities on in a worse case if your meeting is cancelled due to an outbreak</li><li>Develop a Response Plan: What steps will you take if this happens before your meeting? What if there’s an outbreak at your meeting? How will you handle sick attendees, employees, speakers or entertainers? What is the hotel’s response plan in case of an outbreak? The CDC estimates that in the height of a pandemic, businesses should count on up to 40% of employees staying home for up to two weeks. What impact would this have on your meeting if there was an outbreak among the hotel staff?</li><li>Communicate with your attendees to make sure they are provided with the most accurate information possible, making sure to use the CDC or WHO as your two main sources of information to avoid media hyperbole. Keeping your attendees updated in advance on the status of the outbreak, your plans to help prevent and lessen the spread onsite, and steps they can take to prevent getting ill is key to helping allay their fears. Consider becoming a friend of the CDC on Facebook so you will get updates and alerts as soon as they are issued. </li><li>Mitigate your losses as best you can; purchasing event cancellation insurance in advance can protect you in case of significant declines in attendance or outright cancellation of your event. Google event cancellation insurance for firms providing this insurance.</li><li>Advise your attendees to get vaccinated against H1N1, and remind them to wash their hands and cover their coughs, while you consider including hand sanitizer and Kleenex packets in their conference bags, and post signs reminding them to follow proper sanitation procedures.</li><li>In the best case scenario your meeting won’t be affected by H1N1 and you’ll have a plan in place that will work for the next outbreak or illness that threatens to strike your meeting. In the meantime, take care of yourself; listen to your mother and WASH YOUR HANDS!</li></ul>Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-26746734278010272212009-08-15T23:12:00.001-07:002009-08-15T23:22:08.114-07:00Planning Meetings That Mean BusinessMeetings and events have been getting a bad rap lately in the media, with extra scrutiny on firms in the financial and insurance industries. As a result, the US Travel Association developed criteria and guidelines to help justify meetings, conventions, events, incentives and business travel to the government, public and meeting. Originally intended for use by firms that received government TARP funds, these Meetings Mean Business guidelines can be used by any company to help shield your event from negative publicity and scrutiny.<br /><br />Examples of meetings and events that are justifiable under the guidelines are:<br />· Product launches that educate the sales force, partners and customers<br />· Sales conferences and employee meetings to align vision, strategy and tactics<br />· Corporate sponsored events that benefit charities<br /><br />Policies for approval are:<br />· Total annual expenses for meetings, events and incentive/recognition travel shall not exceed 15 percent of the company’s total sales and marketing budget<br />· When planning an incentive, no more than 10 percent of attendees should be senior executives<br />· All internal meetings or events attended only by senior executives and/or board members should be devoted to a specific business purpose and attendees should be responsible for all personal expenses<br /><br />For more information on the complete guidelines, check out meetingsmeanbusiness.com.<br /><br />Here’s what you can do to help ensure your meetings are free from negative scrutiny:<br /><strong></strong><br /><p><strong>Tone it Down</strong>- In this economy, meetings and events that are overly lavish or extravagant are in poor taste and a poor use of a company’s resources. Look for ways to accomplish your goals in a more subdued manner while saving money and resources. <br />Substitute sedan cars for limos, or use greener forms of transportation when appropriate, such as bio-diesel coaches, or even hybrid vehicles for group transportation. <br />Instead of elaborate banquets or galas, consider lower profile receptions and dinners or more casual events. <br />Replace expensive gifts for attendees or speakers; consider more practical items relevant to your industry. I like to purchase donation certificates for speakers and VIPs to kiva.org which then allows them to choose an entrepreneur in a third-world country to make a small loan.<br />Let your exhibitors and sponsors know of your efforts and ask them to keep these in mind when planning giveaways, hospitalities, dine arounds, etc.</p><p><br /><strong>Give Back</strong>- Corporate social responsibility is more than a popular buzz word; it’s a new way to think about doing business. <br />Consider integrating activities that benefit the community in which you are holding your event, or a local charity. Build time in your schedule for volunteer work, perhaps replacing more traditional leisure activities such as golf and spa visits.<br />Consider making a monetary donation to a charity in lieu of what you might have spent on a social event. I once attended a very simple reception at a conference for meeting planners where a hotel corporation that was hosting the reception made a significant contribution to a children’s hospital to purchase neonatal incubators instead of spending on the typically lavish reception. There were actual machines on display along with photos of children treated by the hospital. No one minded one bit not having the free flowing martini bar or shrimp bar. <br />If you’re planning a teambuilding event, consider replacing the trip to the ropes course with a session building bikes for kids, computers for low income schools, or working to build or renovate buildings, schools, parks and homes in the community. The local convention and visitors bureau can connect you with organizations in your destination.<br />Consider purchasing carbon offsets to balance your meeting’s energy use.<br />At the very least, look for ways to share your leftover conference swag such as tote bags, portfolios with a local charity.<br /><br /><strong>Publicize Your Efforts</strong>- With so much negative media attention focusing on what companies spends on lavish meetings; it’s important that you control the message when it comes to your meeting’s press coverage. Ask the hotel and destination CVB to provide you with statistics regarding the positive economic impact on the community that your meeting has. Wouldn’t it be great to see a reporter talking about the 25 housekeepers, 50 waiters, bellmen, etc. working this week as a direct result of your meeting at the property? Or an article that talks about the scores of cab drivers, waiters, shopkeepers, etc. benefitting by the dollars your meeting attendees spend in a destination. And if you are integrating charitable activities, ask the charity to assist you with getting positive coverage through their local contacts as well. It’s time that members of the meeting industry take back control of how meetings are perceived by the public.<br /><br />When planning your next meeting, ask yourself, “How would this look on the front page of the local paper or the Wall Street Journal?” Make smart business decisions that work for your firm and promote the image that you want and you’ll easily weather this latest media storm.</p>Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-747612821631697902009-08-15T23:04:00.000-07:002009-08-15T23:10:30.199-07:00Planning Board Meetings that Mean BusinessPlanning high-level executive meetings can be some of the most challenging events planners produce. While board meetings or executive retreats aren’t necessarily the largest or most complex meetings you may ever plan, they are loaded with opportunities and challenges you have to anticipate and accommodate. Follow these guidelines to ensure a successful event for all in attendance:<br /><br />· The first thing you need to do is evaluate who your attendees are and make sure you have a thorough understanding of their needs and desires. You’ll want a clear understanding not only of who is attending, but what is important to those in attendance. Know what the demographics of your group are: age, gender, origin, special health or dietary needs, backgrounds, hobbies, interests, etc. The more you know about who is in attendance, the better you can tailor the meeting to best fit them. For instance, I recently planned a board retreat at a resort where we integrated the environment into the meeting to break up multi-day sessions and allow attendees, who are the sort who love being outside, to experience the various aspects of the resort. I purposely placed every meal or break event in an unusual venue such as the opening night dinner at the golf clubhouse overlooking the 18th hole at sunset, after dinner drinks around a fire pit complete with rocking chairs, blankets and S’mores, continental breakfast one day in the butterfly and herb garden with an instructor leading gentle stretches and yoga poses, breaks on decks overlooking gardens, etc. It doesn’t make much sense to take a group to active people to a resort to then keep them closed up inside meeting rooms all day long. Using these changes of venues required no extra expense, only a little extra time to allow for group movement and some creativity when conducting my site visit to allow me to spot places where I could take my group. <br /><br />For a board meeting for a medical association whose incoming chair was an avid fly fisherman, I surprised the group with some private lessons one afternoon from a local fly fishing company. We scheduled a 45 minute afternoon break, told everyone to dress casually that day (it was two full eight-hour days of meetings) and then escorted everyone out of the hotel, along the banks of the river to a grove where we had instructors with rods and lines, as well as refreshments and hammocks for those who just wanted to stretch out and relax for awhile. The doctors loved it, especially the chair who was able to share something he loved with his counterparts.<br /><br />· Know what the purpose of the meeting is, what the desired outcomes are and how the purpose of the meeting will influence the format of the meeting. For instance, is this a regularly scheduled meeting of the board, or a meeting scheduled to address an urgent issue that is affecting their industry. Will the group remain as a whole, or will there be a need for breakouts and group meetings? Knowing these things can help you select the best facility for conducting your meeting and ensure you are providing enough space and the right type of space for your group’s needs. For a full-day planning meeting to brainstorm a way to completely restructure an organization’s 5000 person annual meeting, I selected an offsite conference center that specialized in brainstorming meetings. In addition to the general session rooms, there were breakout rooms such as the rocking chair room where a circle of rocking chairs and white boards lined the walls, a deck with patio and picnic style seating, a library complete with living room style seating, books, games, toys, etc.; even a room with large bean bag type of seating. <br /><br />· Consider how you set up the room to inspire creativity, promote productivity and create a feeling of warmth and openness. If you are seating everyone around a conference table, consider using blotters with colored placemat inserts to create a theme. If you are trying to spark creativity or alleviate stress, consider placing individual toys such as small Etch a Sketches, doodle art pads, play do, slinkies, candies, and specialty waters at each place setting. If you are going for a more formal, executive look, you can still introduce color in the form of colored linens, blotters, pads, etc. to create a themed look. Many hotels have now added these items into their standard meeting packages and you can upgrade the look of your meeting for free or at a relatively low cost. For an example, check out the Omni Hotels Sensational Meetings <a href="http://www.omnihotels.com/MeetingsAndEvents/SensationalMeetings.aspx">http://www.omnihotels.com/MeetingsAndEvents/SensationalMeetings.aspx</a>.<br /><br />· Work closely with your caterer to present food that is attractive, distinctive, energizing and delicious. Make sure you allow plenty of options in your food selections and accommodate special menu needs. If your group is health conscious, you’ll want to make this matter known to your caterer so they can prepare and label food accordingly. Get creative with your selections and surprise your guests with a different way of presenting the standard coffee break. Perhaps a barista creating coffee drinks to order or a smoothie bar for the morning and an ice cream bar for an afternoon break might be something your attendees will appreciate. Make sure you know what your attendees want and challenge your caterer or chef to find the most interesting and creative way to present it.<br /><br />· If your attendees are from out of town, make sure you VIP their reservations with the hotel and personally check to make sure they are taken care of by the hotel. Prior to the meeting, if the hotel doesn’t have a VIP manager, ask to speak with the concierge or guest service manager and discuss the importance of your group and any special needs they might have. I always make a point to handwrite welcome notes to my VIPs and include my business card with my cell number in case they have any issues or concerns on site. There is nothing worse than finding out after the fact that one of your VIPs has been haggling with the hotel over some issue throughout their entire stay, especially if it is something that you could have resolved quickly and easily. In addition, should they have a special need that arises, they can notify you immediately so that you can resolve the situation. I once had a chair elect who traveled with his wife and special needs child who required access to the outdoors, in the form of a balcony or patio. The conference headquarter hotel where I placed all my VIPs didn’t have balconies and I received a call on my cell phone from him on the first night explaining the situation. I was able to move them immediately to one of the secondary hotels that had balconies overlooking the river and he was delighted.<br /><br />Knowing your group’s needs, purpose, goals, and what makes them special and unique is the first step to planning a successful board meeting and ensuring a positive outcome for all involved. Take time to ask some questions, reach a deeper understanding of the group and you’ll guarantee board meetings that mean business!Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-48028439332677367622009-08-15T22:53:00.000-07:002009-08-15T23:04:12.979-07:00Put Your Meeting Food and Beverage Budget on a Diet<p>In a tough economy, businesses look for ways to cut costs and eliminate expenditures. Because meetings can often be a big-ticket item for many budgets, there may be a natural tendency to seek to reduce meetings or eliminate them altogether. Before you consider eliminating your meetings, think about ways in which you can reduce costs related to producing meetings, since they are valuable methods of distributing information and helping businesses to thrive and survive. Here are a few cost cutting tips related to your food and beverage budget that you can implement right away to reduce your meeting budget and increase your value to your employer.<br /><br />· Instead of purchasing continental breakfast and break service at a per person price, compare how much it would cost to pay by the item. For groups of about 30 or more, it frequently costs less to purchase gallons of coffee and pieces of pastries or cookies. Here’s some guidelines to use when doing your math:<br /><br />One Gallon of coffee yields 20 cups per gallon; figure 1.5 cups per person for continental breakfast, 1 cup per person for a coffee break<br />Iced Tea/Lemonade/Punch<br /><br />One Gallon of Iced Tea/ Lemonade/Punch/Juice yields 20 glasses<br />Allow 1.5 pieces per person when serving Pastries/Cookies/Brownies<br />Allow two ounces per person when serving Chips/Pretzels<br />Allow 3 Ounces of dip per person<br /><br /><br />· Don’t serve bottled water or individual sodas, switch to water pitchers or water stations (free) and for afternoon refreshments, serve iced tea, lemonade or punch by the gallon instead of sodas at $4-5 each.<br /></p><p>· Reception Beverages: Switch from open bar to a ticketed bar where you provide guests with 2-3 drink tickets good for any alcoholic drink. The hotel or caterer will give you a price per ticket that reflects an average price of all the different levels of alcohol and you’ll be charged for each ticket redeemed. Ask the caterer to set up a water pitcher and iced tea or soda station separate from the bar so you are only paying for alcohol tickets and not tickets redeemed for a soda or water.<br /></p><p>· Reception Food: I use the following assumptions when planning reception menus:<br /><br />Plan on six items per person per hour for a reception. For a two hour reception estimate 12-14 pieces per person<br /><br />Displays:<br />Veggie Display- Plan on enough for ½ the group<br />Fruit Display- Plan on enough for 2/3 of the group<br />Cheese Display- Plan on enough for 2/3 of the group<br />Chips and Dip- Use formula above<br />Cold Appetizer-Select 1-2 appetizers<br />Hot Appetizer-Select 3-4 appetizers<br /><br />To control consumption, ask the caterer to use the smaller plates and consider laying out your reception food in the following order, which you will note is from least to most expensive. The idea is that your guests will fill up the space on their plates with the less expensive items prior to getting to the more expensive items.<br /><br />Chips and Dips<br />Veggies<br />Fruit<br />Cheese<br />Cold Appetizers<br />Hot Appetizers<br />Carved Items<br />Dessert Items<br /><br />Another option is to have chips, veggies, fruit and cheese on a buffet table and have waiters pass the hot and cold appetizers, as that will reduce consumption as well. </p><p><br />· Meal Service: Meal buffets always cost more than a plated meal, so offer plated meals when appropriate. To save money at lunch, consider eliminating dessert and instead applying that money to the afternoon break service and beef that up. Many people who will turn down desserts at lunch would love a mid-afternoon snack, so why waste $3-4 per person on a dessert that won’t be eaten? For dinners, ask the hotel or caterer to allow you to pick an item off the lunch menu, as frequently the only difference is a couple of ounces in the size of the meat. Or better yet, give them your per person price you want to spend and ask them to get creative and develop menus that meet your needs. If you have a group that wouldn’t mind a lasagna, enchilada or meat loaf plate, let them know you don’t need to have a fancy cut of meat.<br />Saving money on F&B is a quick and easy way to reduce your bottom line while minimally impacting your attendees’ meeting experience. By looking for ways to proactively reduce costs, you’ll be seen as a valuable partner in your company’s efforts to reduce operating expenses as you weather these tough economic times.</p>Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310627510917614861.post-80433023619399386372009-08-15T22:49:00.000-07:002009-08-15T22:53:00.038-07:00Developing a Meeting Request for ProposalsWant to save time, energy and frustration when starting your hunt for a location to place a meeting? Then do what the pros do, develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit bids from hotels and facilities to host your meeting. Your RFP can be sent directly to potential properties, sent via the city’s Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, or sent to a chain’s national sales office for distribution. By outlining all your needs in one document, you save time and make your job easier.<br /><br />Here’s what to include in your RFP:<br />1- The name and description of the meeting<br />2- Your contact information and preferred method of receiving responses<br />3- Preferred dates and arrival/departure pattern (make sure to note if your dates are flexible)<br />4- Deadline for responses<br />5- Description of sleeping room and meeting space needs- number of rooms and suites per night, schedule of meetings and events with attendance and preferred room sets for each<br />6- Special concessions you want: reduced time for the cut-off date, complimentary sleeping rooms, meeting space rental reductions, VIP upgrades, F&B special pricing, airport transportation, etc.<br />7- If this is a repeat meeting, then include history from the prior meeting: room pickup per night, F&B revenue generated, as well as the overall spend of your group including incidentals<br />8- Miscellaneous Fees: Occupancy tax, F&B tax and service charge fee, parking fees<br />9- Ask for sample menu pricing for meal and receptions<br />10- Airport: Distance, complimentary hotel shuttle or average taxi and shuttle fares<br /><br />Once you begin to receive proposals back, take the time to create a matrix outlining your requirements on the left side with the hotels across the top and fill in the offerings from each hotel. Then you can compare at a glance to determine who has the best rates, lowest meal costs, least service charge, etc. This will help to easily see which hotel best meets your needs.<br /><br />By creating a document that clearly lays out your meeting details, you’ll be able to easily convey information and make sure that all properties receive the same information. Imagine how much time and energy you’ll save if the next time you are asked to plan a meeting, instead of making numerous calls to properties, you take the time to create an RFP and start from that point. <br /><br />Another benefit of putting all your information in one document is that you will have a clear idea of your meeting’s value to a hotel, which will help strengthen your negotiating ability. Anything that reduces the time you spend while increasing your negotiating ability is bound to make your job easier. After all, that’s what it’s all about, right?Paula J. Rigling, CMPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10015868231771521837noreply@blogger.com0