TRIED & TESTED MEETING PLANNING TIPS: LOOK AFTER DELEGATES & YOURSELF

Written by: Sue - 31^st October 2016

Has it fallen to you to co-ordinate the next key gathering for your organisation? This news has probably whipped you up into a tailspin, although you're trying to appear swan-like just gliding on serenely? You're not alone: research by our partner QHotels revealed agency and freelance events professionals - those who do this job day in and day out - still feel the pressure. In fact over 70% of organisers surveyed lose sleep the night before an event! We've compiled eight points to consider which will help safeguard wellbeing for both you and your delegates and ensure the time spent is productive.​

1  Are Your Objectives Clear?

​The mission for any event planner is to pull together content that will interest, challenge and excite delegates; something appealing to provide a memorable occasion. Of equal weight is the demand to meet the manager's expectations and budget. Our partner Warwick Conferences researched this area for their "Value of Expertise" report. Findings highlighted that "51% of internal event bookers don't view booking a venue as a business partnership, instead viewing it as a simple transaction. Yet 93% of delegates surveyed agree that a meeting is improved when the host understands their event." An interesting statistic, I think, and our team can vouch that partnership is crucial in pinning down the purpose of any gathering. From the outset, collaborate and consult - with your colleagues, attendees and venue as well as your event management agency if one is involved. All these minds together will take the skeleton of a purpose and flesh it out with the pertinent content, substance, style, layout and technology.

2  Can All Of Your Key Speakers Attend?

​Following on from the above point, early consultation is also paramount here. Busy schedules, overseas business travel and pressing deadlines can make booking speakers seem like untangling a ball of string sometimes. Communication must be crystal clear and diaries synchronised at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment and embarrassment further down the line.

3  Know Your Delegates

​This subject extends way beyond knowing a delegate's role or area of business expertise. Where are they travelling from within the UK? Is anybody travelling from overseas? How will they travel? All this personal detail will aid in pin-pointing the right location on the map, near convenient motorway networks, train stations and airports as required. Also it helps in selecting a venue: will overnight accommodation be required if delegates are travelling far or will large car park facilities be essential?

"Knowing delegates" requires empathy, especially when considering dietary needs. Vegetarian, Pescatarian, gluten-free, nut-free, wheat-free ... now more than ever you will find guests to be more vocal about food allergies, health choices, religious beliefs and principles on how food should be cooked. Consult with guests early and notify the venue in good time so that they might accommodate. Stay one step ahead through research and education into special dietary needs and allergies is always our advice, although a management agency partner or the venue in question will be well-versed in solutions and options.

Our partner Warwick Conferences say they have "observed a marked change in delegate tastes within the last three years, with organisers and delegates requesting more specific foods in line with the growth of a "foodie" culture across the UK.

4  Know Your Speakers' Audio-Visual Needs

​Know their needs as a starting point but then don't slip up by forgetting to ensure the chosen venue is clear about this; copy their team in on all your correspondence in this regard. Technology must be reliable, user-friendly and it will be your job to ascertain if it should be compatible with the speakers' laptops. Also, is WiFi fast and free? Delegates should be clear on this so nobody is surprised by hidden costs they didn't anticipate.

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Venues will be happy to introduce you to new technological developments you may not yet have considered, such as the ClickShare concept now offered at venues through our partner Village Hotel Club.

5  No Car Parking Headaches

​As covered above, you need to know where delegates are coming from, how much car parking space is required and whether the venue can accommodate for this. Many organisers trip up here sadly: crucially, you need to find out if the car parking is included in the rate you have been quoted. Do you want it to be? As soon as negotiations get underway, be up-front about this for clarity.

6  Disabled Facilities

It is safest to ensure the logistics for inclusion within a meeting or event at the early stages of planning. As well as a legal requirement, this is simply best practice; good access for all will comfortably open the event to more people. A word of advice is be clear about who will address questions regarding accessibility and also be mindful that this might include sign-language interpreters, large print and Braille as well as physical access.

7  Who Pays For What?

​Experienced meeting and events planners know all the niggles that can snag further along the process and cause disruption, in spite of how seamlessly all appears to be knitting together. A tip to remember is be clear on who is paying for what - bottles of wine with dinner for instance - so that there isn't any discrepancy when the final bill is presented. Delegates, management and the venue must be clear on this!

8  Scrutinise Venue Contracts

​All terms and conditions must be given attention with a fine-toothed comb. An "eagle-eye" over errors, contradictions and obscurities which could impact on the event can alleviate a headache scenario subsequently. An events management agency will have experts in the conference department who will lend you their "eagle-eyes".

One of the flexible, contemporary meeting spaces at QHotels Stratford Manor.

​We also work together with Hilton Worldwide in partnership on meetings and conferences and found their global meetings survey of much interest. Here they revealed that 44% of respondents confirmed they suffer 'an afternoon slump' during events where they feel sleepy and less engaged. Hilton aims to combat this with "Mindful Eating" where they help meetings professionals focus their menus on quality over quantity as delegates understood a heavy lunch didn't aid their stamina at all.  Instead, they favour seasonal produce, local ingredients, balanced dishes and sustainably sourced food. "Mindful Being" is equally important, where active moments are introduced just when the "drop is taking hold" - these might include energiser exercises, break-out sessions or a walk through the grounds.

Together with the advice from our expert partners, we hope our 8 top tips help to ease the pressure of your daunting planning endeavour. They will provide a prompt on how to look after guests and delegates but remember to look after yourself too. According to a recent article in Convene Magazine ​meeting planning "turns up every year on top-ten lists of the most stressful jobs". It might be an idea to visit the QHotels website and seek out their tips within "An Event Organiser's Guide To Wellbeing"!