22 Mar 10 Why Are Face-to-Face Meetings Important?
Have you ever stopped to think about why human contact is vital to the corporate world? A face-to-face meeting is much more than getting away from the office, although that can be a contributing factor to a meeting. Psychologically speaking, humans are just hard-wired to be a social species.
Communication takes two forms, verbal and non-verbal. Webinars may be convenient and cost-efficient, and heaven knows they can be a godsend when some virus like H1N1 is on the warpath, but they simply do not have the same impact as a face-to-face meeting. If you have ever dealt with a misunderstanding that came about from a poorly worded email or a chatroom text conversation, you will appreciate the value of a traditional business meeting. Smileys will never replace a genuine emotion and it is difficult to shake hands via a video conference.
In-person meetings help participants build trust and establish social relationships. It is much more meaningful to work as an interactive team than it is to be corporate pen pals. Social interactions exemplify company norms and expectations and create an important sense of belonging. Humor is another aspect of social interaction that can fall flat in text. Shared experiences build rapport within a team and even a familiar accent can put team members at ease with one another.
Tags: Business Meeting, Genuine Emotion, Godsend, Human Contact, Interactive Team, Misunderstanding, Norms, Pen Pals, Person Meetings, Smileys, Social Interaction, Social Interactions, Social Relationships, Social Species, Team Members, Text Conversation, Traditional Business, Video Conference, Warpath, Webinars
10 Mar 10 Safety First: A Meeting Planner Reminder
When it is your responsibility to host an important business meeting or conference, it never hurts to double-check your accommodations for working safety exits, up-to-date fire extinguishers, and for current supplies inside of the first aid kits. With all eyes on the planet currently turned towards the news of earthquakes, solar storms, and flooding, your meeting attendees will look at you with renewed admiration if you have taken their personal safety concerns into your own hands before anything bad can happen.
Safety Tips:
- Always know where the emergency exits are for every room that you enter while traveling. In America, the emergency exits are normally well-marked. However, even well-marked exits can be hard to find after a disaster has happened. Take steps to ensure that your guests know where their emergency equipment and exits are located.
- Fire doors at some locations are accidentally locked to prevent intruders from bothering hotel guests or causing damages to the property. If you are at a meeting with locked fire doors, explain your safety concerns to the management and request that the applicable fire doors remain unlocked for the duration of your meeting.
- Before a meeting begins, make sure that you know about possible outside hazards that might disrupt your plans unexpectedly, and make sure that the conference room comes complete with a set of local safety instructions that are available for everybody to read in their native language.
Tags: Admiration, Attendees, Business Meeting, Damages, Earthquakes, Emergency Equipment, Emergency Exits, Fire Doors, Fire Extinguishers, First Aid Kits, Hotel Guests, Intruders, Meeting Planner, Native Language, Personal Safety Concerns, Reminder, Safety First, Safety Instructions, Safety Tips, Solar Storms
05 Mar 10 The Power Of The Pen
For an entertaining and inexpensive meeting idea, why not offer your meeting attendees both ballpoint and rollerball pens?
Here in America, the ballpoint pen is the favored pen that is sold in all of the stores, and in the UK, the rollerball pen rules. Ink pens all originated in the same UK place, and then the American industrial revolution brought them to our country. The ink delivery systems are the same in both the USA ballpoint pen and the UK rollerball pens; however, the ink recipe is different.
Here in America, we went for a thicker ink that dried instantly when it topped the page. Our ballpoint ink does not seep into the paper layers to provide a very long-lasting image that the generation down the road will see. In the UK, the rollerball pen uses a thinner ink formula that is delivered through the same ink delivery system that soaks into the paper and takes a moment before it is dry and free from smearing. Many feel that the old world qualities of the UK ink recipes are superior to the American Bic-style of ballpoint pens.
When the UK inks and the American inks are explained at the beginning of the business meeting, this becomes a fascination. The simple act of taking notes during the meeting becomes an important and noteworthy activity to those who are at the meeting presentation. Rollerballl pens and ballpoint pens cost about the same amount of money. It is easy for all meeting planners to supply a variety of pens with different ink properties to their clients.
Tags: American Industrial Revolution, Amount Of Money, Ballpoint Ink, Ballpoint Pen, Ballpoint Pens, Bic Pens, Business Meeting, Delivery System, Fascination, Ink Delivery, Ink Formula, Ink Pens, Ink Recipes, Inks, Lasting Image, Meeting Planners, Noteworthy Activity, Rollerball Pen, Rollerball Pens, Soaks
03 Mar 10 The July 11, 2010 Solar Eclipse Can Spice Up Your Meeting Plans
On July 11, 2010, Mother Nature has planned a very special solar eclipse event that can harmonize very well with all types of meetings that are being planned for that week. This solar event is being promoted by many of the local areas that will be able to see this natural form of a spectacular light show in their neighborhoods. Special attractions and events are being planned for tourists and business travelers all along this exciting sight-path.
Business meeting planners might want to explore the NASA site page devoted to this larger eclipse event, and then look into the specials and deals that are being offered to tourists at Easter Island, throughout the Cook Islands, and at the tourist hot spots that are located in South America. This extra-long eclipse event can be coupled easily with a business cruise to heighten the perceived value of the trip experience.
With so many people inside of the United States interested in everything that is related to global warming, eco-issues, and the year 2012 predictions, this interesting natural solar event is receiving quite a bit of publicity. Your meeting attendees will hear about this 5-minute event through an increasing display of media promotions before this actual date arrives. This solar-eclipse can be a sure-fire way to make your meeting attendees feel very special about their business meeting location.
Tags: Attendees, Business Meeting, Business Travelers, Cook Islands, Cruise, Easter Island, Global Warming, Hot Spots, Media Promotions, Meeting Planners, Mother Nature, Nasa, Publicity, Solar Eclipse, Solar Event, South America, Tourists, Trip Experience, United States, Year 2012 Predictions
22 Feb 10 Preparing Your Attendees for a Successful Meeting
Corporate meeting planners wear many hats, which sometimes includes making sure the attendees are well-prepared. Pre-meeting preparation is an important part of ensuring the meeting is effective and productive, and also allows the attendees to know what to expect and which materials, presentations or notes they may need to bring. Productive meetings that stay on task and on schedule reflect well on the meeting planner, even if the planner is not the one actually conducting business during the meeting.
Here are ways you can help your attendees prepare for a great meeting:
1. Distribute the agenda beforehand – Make sure that all attendees have an accurate agenda prior to attending the meeting. Since you will be including the date, time and location of the meeting on the agenda, this also works as an effective meeting reminder.
2. Make sure attendees have background information – Either distribute materials related to the meeting topic, or let the attendees know where they can find the information they need.
3. Give the attendees pre-meeting homework – Whether it is simply asking them to read the background material or asking them to prepare ideas or a presentation, assign pre-meeting tasks that will help the meeting run smoother and get participants involved in the process.
With a little preparation, your meeting participants will have a more fulfilling meeting experience and will have you to thank for it.
Tags: Attendees, Background Information, Background Material, Business Meeting, Corporate Meeting Planners, Date Time, Effective Meeting, Hats, Homework, Meeting Agenda, Meeting Planner, Participants, Presentation, Productive Meetings, Reminder
23 Dec 09 When Las Vegas Fails, You Win!
Have you noticed that your company is no longer sending you to Las Vegas, Nevada for conventions, business meetings, or stress-break weekends? Las Vegas has noticed.
- During the first three-quarters of year 2009, the Las Vegas visitor head-counts are down 3.9% that they are aware of. All visitors to the area are not counted individually in this estimate.
- During the first three-quarters of year 2009, unemployment is registering at 13.9% for the unemployed that are still able to get unemployment benefits.
- During November 2009, the city of Las Vegas ranked number 5 in the United States for housing foreclosures. This number is down from their rankings of the number one city for foreclosures almost every month since year 2007.
- The Las Vegas school system is cracking. As unemployed people turn to colleges for new skills, the colleges cannot handle the overloads. Classes overfill quickly then become unavailable. As families leave to keep their student funding, foreclosures continue, and elementary school registration drops.
What does this mean for company who is planning their next business meeting? GO!
The greater Las Vegas area is offering wonderful incentives to business travelers all over town, in all types of industries. Great efforts are being made to attract enough money to ride-out this economic disaster. Consumer services everywhere are upgraded as the old minimum-wage employees are replaced by unemployed college graduates. There has never been a better time for business travelers to host a meeting in the Las Vegas area; economic disasters breed great service and bargains.
Tags: Bargains, Better Time, Business Meeting, Business Meetings, Business Travelers, City Of Las Vegas, Conventions, Economic Disaster, Economic Disasters, Enough Money, Foreclosures, Incentives, Minimum Wage Employees, School Registration, Three Quarters, Unemployed College Graduates, Unemployment Benefits, Vegas Area, Vegas Nevada, Vegas Visitor
21 Dec 09 Food For Thought
When planning your next business meeting, stop for a moment to consider how grouchy the head boss might be if you forget to feed her while she is away from home. In our multicultural society it is never wise to assume that the popular steak house across from the normal lodging area serves vegan meals, or that any self-respecting vegetarian could be inside of that building either.
Today, we live in an era where many individuals are participating in healthy lifestyle routines and doctor specified diets that are simply not compatible to many of the chain restaurants that only cater to yesterday’s traditional meal choices. Doctors may order a salt-free diet for one person, and inform the next that meat is out-of-line if they expect their heart to keep ticking without an overhaul.
Business meetings need to be planned with the thought that all types of diets will be present. The common diets to plan for include:
- Vegans do not eat any form of animal products and they do not sit on leather chairs or work on leather covered desks.
- Vegetarians do not eat meat, but they do enjoy many other forms of food.
- Doctor restricted diets often require plain food to be available that can be built-up into a finished dish according to directions.
- Traditional diets may not want the fat trimmed from their steaks and bacon should be available with the eggs for breakfast.
As a rule-of-thumb, the best way for businesses to plan their meetings is to simply determine that all of the food categories above are available to the meeting participants on the premises or in nearby facilities before booking the meeting rooms or lodgings. All minds are important to the meeting despite dietary differences; good food keeps those minds happy and focused on work.
Tags: Amp Nbsp, Business Meeting, Chain Restaurants, Finished Dish, Food Categories, Food Doctor, Head Boss, Healthy Lifestyle, Leather Chairs, Lodging Area, Meal Choices, Multicultural Society, Nearby Facilities, Plain Food, Rsquo, Rule Of Thumb, Salt Free Diet, Steak House, Traditional Diets, Vegan Meals, Vegans, Vegetarians
16 Dec 09 How To Save Money On Business Meetings and Conferences
One of the biggest problems that business meetings have is a loss of control over participants who would rather be at home cleaning their bathrooms. Even participants who enter a business meeting with good intentions can become bored and restless if machinery is malfunctioning or there are pauses in the presentation due to an agenda that isn’t working out as planned.
An interesting way to guarantee quick results at a business meeting is to hold your meeting in a place that offers desirable after-meeting entertainment options that cannot happen until all work is completed. When your meeting is composed of busy individuals who have someplace to be, they will settle down and do their best to be helpful towards finishing the work-at-hand in a quick and productive manner.
The art of combining a structured business trip with desirable participant activities requires some creative thinking and a calculator. In reality, a business meeting can be held in any appropriately outfitted conference room that comes complete with reasonably priced comfortable accommodations, choices in cuisine, and an easy-access location that allows for all transportation concerns.
Cruise ships have comfortable lodging, elegant varieties of free food, no transportation needs after reaching the point of departure, and an ideal conference room that is available with state-of-the-art equipment for passengers to use. These floating hotels also offer quality entertainment options, health spas, room service and space for traveling family members to enjoy themselves too.
With a few quick clicks on the calculator, it is easy to see how the price of a cruise meeting will beat the traditional lodging, restaurant, and transportation costs of a business meeting from many locations inside of the United States today. Even with airfares involved to get to the points-of-departure, with the vacation industry discounts being offered right now, a cruise can be the most economical way to conduct your next business meeting.
Tags: Art Equipment, Business Meeting, Business Meetings, Creative Thinking, Cruise Ships, Free Food, Good Intentions, Health Spas, How To Save Money, Industry Discounts, Participant Activities, Point Of Departure, Points Of Departure, Productive Manner, Quality Entertainment Options, Reaching The Point, Rsquo, Traditional Lodging, Transportation Concerns, Transportation Costs, Vacation Industry
14 Dec 09 Dear Santa, Bring Me A Cruise Meeting?
Dear Santa Boss,
I’ve been good this year. I didn’t really didn’t try to spill Larry’s coffee all over those horrible business meeting presentation packets; that mess was really just an accident even though everybody started to applaud. I really didn’t mean to make Larry cry either. Poor Larry…
Well, let me rephrase this. Santa? I’m not always good. But, it’s present time anyway?
All I want for Christmas this year is for my July business meeting to happen on a nice sunny cruise ship with free food, after hours entertainment, and an air conditioned conference room. Oh, and a hair dryer available in case I spill my coffee on important papers again. Larry would like it if I requested a hair dryer. See? I’m even thinking of others.
Please Santa Boss, sir? The cost of an incentive cruise is often cheaper than car rentals, motel accommodations, and restaurant food plus important time can be saved by having all meeting members corralled on the same cruise ship where they cannot get lost in traffic.
Just because some people use cruise ships for vacations does not mean that my trip on a luxurious cruise ship cannot be used for work. Conference-style meeting rooms are available on cruise ships that will fit everybody involved, and we can always pull the blinds in those conference rooms until the meeting is over if the windows offer a nasty ol’ scenic view. I promise not to look out of the windows!
So, can I please have a cruise ship for Christmas this year? I’m good. It will save the company money.
Tags: Blinds, Boss, Business Meeting, Car Rentals, Coffee, Company Money, Conference Style, Cruise Ships, Cruise Vacations, Free Food, Hair Dryer, Hours Entertainment, Incentive Cruise, Luxurious Cruise Ship, Meeting Rooms, Motel Accommodations, Present Time, Restaurant Food, Rsquo, Scenic View
10 Dec 09 Who Needs Money? Business Meetings Can Still Be Fun
When companies or organizations want to increase sales, production, or services, a common method of motivation is to give the players gifts that encourage them to have a positive attitude towards the hosting business. With today’s economy putting a crunch onto all types of promotional gifts, some smart companies are beginning to mix business meetings with unexpected pleasures for their deserving employees or clients.
The vacation trip industry has been hit hard by the spider-web of recent economical woes. At all levels, lodgings and vacation oriented transportation options are discounted to encourage participation. For company representatives that are searching for ways to spice up their next business meeting or conference plans now is the time to explore the possibilities of hosting the next meeting rendezvous at a traditional vacation destination.
Cruise ships and large vacation home rentals are both fun money saving options over traditional business meeting plans. When a group of people can be housed in the same location with room to work, there is no reason not to explore the options of placing your team into a working vacation situation while they are on the road to take advantage of the greatly reduced vacation plan savings that are being offered to travelers today.
The benefits of a cruise meeting includes free food, large comfortable conference rooms, and after-hours entertainments. The benefits found in luxury vacation homes include a whole nice home with multiple locking bedrooms and a working kitchen for cheaper prices than a motel bedroom. This year is a very good time to look into holding your next important business meeting at a desirable vacation spot getaway location.
Tags: Business Meeting, Company Representatives, Cruise Ships, Deserving Employees, Free Food, Getaway Location, Luxury Vacation, Money Business, Positive Attitude, Promotional Gifts, Rsquo, Smart Companies, Spider Web, Traditional Business, Traditional Vacation, Transportation Options, Unexpected Pleasures, Vacation Destination, Vacation Plan, Vacation Spot, Vacation Trip
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Corporate Meeting Planner Resources
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