When planning an important meeting, you’ll want to provide guests with the most informative, efficient, and engaging event possible. We’ve listed our top six steps to keep your audience engaged and ideas flowing and get the most out of your meeting:
1. Make your objective clear.
Remember that you’re holding this meeting for a reason. Before sending the invitation, ask yourself: what do I want to accomplish? Try to ensure that your session is as informative as possible. Holding an appointment with an undefined purpose can be an inefficient use of time for yourself and your guests.
2. Consider who is invited.
Only invite those who have a reason to be there. If your meeting is centred around change, only invite those affected by the announcement. If it is a problem you’re trying to solve, ask those who will contribute helpful information regarding solutions.
3. Stick to your schedule.
Create a meeting plan and stick to it. Display your meeting timeline and agenda on a whiteboard or somewhere where others are aware. This will help keep things focused and on track.
4. Be on time
A reputation for starting and finishing a meeting on time will only increase your attendance rate. Attendees appreciate that you understand that their time is valuable. Keep your session duration to around an hour; this is the longest time people remain genuinely engaged.
5. Say goodbye to technology.
Consider asking guests to put their technology, such as phones and tablets, away throughout meetings unless necessary. This will help ensure your guests engage more with the forum and discussions.
6. Follow up.
It’s always a good idea to follow up on your meeting the following day with an e-mail. This way, people are clear about given tasks and assigned deadlines. That way, everybody is on the same page.
There you have it, our top tips for holding a successful meeting. If you’re looking for the perfect meeting space, contact The Playford Gallery by Sofitel. Our staff are experts in conference and function events and can provide various customizable packages to make your meeting one to remember.
