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Planning a Meeting
What You Need to KnowâWhat You Need to Do
There are various types of meetings, many different settings for each meeting, and many goals or objectives for conducting a meeting. The first major step will be gathering comprehensive information that will drive the development and organization of a plan to accomplish the many tasks at hand.
Who Plans Meetings?
From secretary to corporate president, everyone, in one way or another, has some involvement in planning meetings. Some plan meetings full-time, while countless secretaries and administrative assistants plan meetings on a part-time basis, as part of their overall responsibility. Whether there is full-time or part-time involvement, the end resultâthe meeting itselfâmust be perfection, as it professionally represents the sponsors and/or the corporation.
Whatâs in a Title?
Your title may not reflect your meeting planning responsibility. You are in good company as many full-time planners have titles that do not indicate their true responsibilities either. Planners have many titles: secretary, executive secretary, meeting director, manager, marketing services manager, travel planner, director of travel management, administrative assistant, senior program consultant, program consultant, meeting planner, group travel coordinator, director of education, executive director, continuing education coordinator, director of continuing medical education, executive assistant, vice president of sales, vice president of education, project coordinator. Need I say more?
More than twenty-three years ago as a medical secretary, I completed planning my first series of medical meetings; my employer decided to change my title to that of continuing education coordinator. To support the change, he asked me to outline my responsibilities and the amount of time allocated to each of the stated responsibilities. Diligently every task was listed and my report submitted. My employer tossed it back and said, âNo one could do all that you have listed! Please provide me with a more realistic list.â I decided he was correct and that âNo one could.â So I asked for an assistant. After some serious negotiations, my request was granted and a new responsibility was added to my list, that of managing staff.
What Are the Responsibilities?
You will be asked to perform a variety of tasks. The duties noted make a point about the diversity of the meeting planner role. It is a widely accepted fact that anyone who plans meetings has multiple responsibilities, works long hours to accomplish the tasks, juggles many functions at once, has high energy, develops and relies on good interpersonal relationships, has excellent written and oral communications skills, is creative and almost overorganized, andâmost importantâis, or becomes, unflappable!
You will need to build on many of the skills you already have. Some of the most important and basic skills you will need as you plan meetings are to:
âąWork well with others.
âąBe detail-oriented.
âąFunction as a problem solver.
âąBe a good negotiator.
âąBe able to manage conference finances.
âąUnderstand hotel operations.
âąPlan effective menus.
âąEffectively work with audiovisual (AV) companies.
âąBe computer literate.
âąBe well versed in international travel.
âąBe able to entertain very important persons (VIPs) and international guests.
âąBe able to take groups abroad and learn protocols.
âąHave a dogged determination to get it done.
Duties (or Tasks)
âąIdentify needs and/or plan to meet the set needs and goals/objectives of a meeting.
âąDevelop agenda or meeting formats.
âąResearch sites and facilities.
âąSelect or recommend sites.
âąAssess facilities.
âąArrange transportation.
âąCoordinate activities of staff assigned to the meeting.
âąRecruit and train staff and ad hoc personnel.
âąCreate workable budget or prepare to work within specified budget.
âąDevelop timelines.
âąInspect site and facility.
âąNegotiate travel arrangements and hotel contracts.
âąNegotiate with all related vendors (transport companies, destination management companies, tour guides, special event companies, AV companies)
âąLocate printers.
âąProvide mailers.
âąPlan food and beverage functions.
âąNegotiate prices.
âąInteract with speakers and VIPs.
Who Holds Meetings?
Meetings are produced or sponsored by corporations, associations, universities, medical centers, and private seminar or conference compani...