Whether you have years of experience as an event planner or are new to the event planning scene, one thing remains true: effective meetings begin with a solid plan of attack. Use the following guidelines as a refresher (or guiding light) to ensure you’re on the right track.

1. Determine the purpose of the meeting. Face-to-face meetings can be powerful and have even more impact when attendees are participating in a shared company vision.
   Even more importantly, establishing your business objective is essential when searching for the right meeting space.
2. Accessibility encourages attendance. Once you’ve determined the “whys” of meeting, the “where” (your meeting destination) is key. Consider all team member’s locations to determine if your ideal meeting destination has appropriate airport service and access to public transportation solutions.
3. Identify your room capacity needs. Once you’ve determined which destination you’ll meet in, partner with your local CVB (convention and visitors bureau) to research all available meeting room spaces and current safety protocols. You’ll be surprised at how much time you can save when these destination experts step in to help navigate key factors to consider before you book the space.
4. Decide how flexible the space needs to be. Planning on multiple break-out sessions? Need indoor/outdoor solutions? Selecting the right meeting space can really help event flow and up your corporate event planning game. For example, many full-service Newport Beach properties offer dining al fresco steps away from a meeting space filled with natural light.
5. Set expectations with a clear (and realistic) program agenda. Be sure to estimate an accurate timeline of events and ensure attendee engagement with compelling agenda topics. Spending time on a realistic timeline can help ensure your group can effectively cover everything in the time allotted.

There are so many more things to consider when planning a meeting, but thankfully, you don’t have to shoulder all aspects on your own. In fact, once a meeting is booked, successful planners often rely on the expertise of meeting and event service teams to help make their programs shine.

Meeting and Event Services to the Rescue

Have a hard-to-please group that’s anxious to break out of the conference room? Looking for unique experiences that only a local would know?  Calling on a destination’s meetings and events expert can be your secret weapon when it comes to creative solutions. Enter the conference services manager: a savvy event services professional that provides complementary support to meetings booked through the CVB. They’re a corporate event planner’s silent partner and unsung hero for helping to source anything from attendee transportation resources to venues with a perfect view.

Conference services professionals can also recommend dependable DMCs (Destination Management Companies), paid companies that are skilled in events management. When you have limited staff or require logistics support, these implementation experts can make a huge difference in the planning and execution of a smooth, successful event.

If your goal is to encourage people to attend the meeting, make sure to enlist the help of this event services expert. Not only will you drive attendance, but you’ll also create an event that your group will be talking about months afterward.

Essential Corporate Event Services

Now that you have a good idea of how conference services can enhance your program generating a list of specific corporate event services can help fill in any gaps in your meeting plan. Consider this step a list of meeting planner tools, the nuts-and-bolts resources that ensure that your attendees are engaged from the moment the meeting is announced through the closing remarks. Although corporate event services vary by destination and CVB, here are a few essentials to help get you started:

• Destination & Event Management: Welcome your attendees with airport signage, maps, and suggestions for points of interest and services close to your meeting location (walkable dining, local favorites, etc.)
• Teambuilding Activities: Nothing bonds a team together more than a fun Duffy boat scavenger hunt or the collaborative energy of an outrigger canoe ride! Your conference services contact will have the inside scoop on how to get your crew motivated.
• Branding & Design: Make your meeting special with marketing materials that feature your event logo, dates, and content that excites and inspires your attendees. Many CVBs offer access to media libraries, printed collateral, and more!
• Vendor & Contractor Coordination: Need recommendations for local resources? Conference service managers have a go-to list of trusted destination partners.
• Entertainment: Wondering where your group can catch a little nightlife? Get great suggestions for unforgettable experiences like a private sunset cocktail reception on land or the sea!

With all the things to consider when planning a meeting, it’s pretty clear that getting the right team of partners in place makes all the difference! For more insight into ensuring meeting success, see how Visit Newport Beach’s conference services resources can elevate your next program.