With goals and objectives at the forefront, next look at audiovisual requirements, speaker needs and traffic flow, taking into consideration participant safety, comfort and accommodation for people with disabilities. If your program includes a food and beverage function, review your meeting room’s access to this service and decide if you will need these functions outside your meeting room or included within.

When deciding on a room setup, keep in mind three principles to guide choice of configuration:

1. Set to the long side of the room. For a rectangular room, placing the speaker on the long side will put more of the audience closer to the presentation. If you are lacking space or using rear-screen projection, you may have to set the stage on the short side of the room to be more space efficient.

2. Minimize straight-row seating. Set chairs in a semi-circle or herringbone (V-shape) to give the audience the best view of the presentation. With straight-row seating, you can only see the people next to you and the backs of heads of those in front of you. A semi-circle set enables viewing between persons.

3. Avoid center aisles. The center of the room is the best viewing of the presentation and should not be wasted on an aisle. A center aisle would be necessary if you have entertainers entering or leaving through the center of the room.

With these principles in mind, it’s time to choose the ultimate setup for your meeting.

Theater or Auditorium Style

This is the best setup for a large group where writing is not necessary and food is not served. Chairs are set in rows facing the speaker, stage or focal point of the room. Remember that a standard meeting room chair is narrower than most people’s bodies. Ask the hotel or venue not to set the chairs touching side-by-side and allow at least 2 inches between (4-6 inches for optimal comfort). This reduces the capacity of your room because not all chairs are used. You may not have a choice in chair spacing, however. Capacity restrictions and fire codes can dictate space between chairs, distance between rows and the number and width of aisles. Some hotels may use chairs that interlock to meet spacing requirements. Ask what the hotel’s regulations are up front and to provide diagrams of the various setups available. A last-minute change of setup due to fire code regulations can cost additional man hours.

Schoolroom or Classroom Style 

This setup is best for meetings where attendees need to write or use a computer. It allows for minimal interaction between attendees and is best used for lectures and training meetings. Chairs are set at 6-foot or 8-foot tables facing the presenter. Standard seating is three people per 6-foot table and four people per 8-foot table. To allow for more workspace between attendees, ask the hotel to reduce this to two chairs per 6-foot table and three chairs per 8-foot table. This setup is most optimal for breakout sessions where entertainment is not used and thus center aisles create the best access for attendees entering and exiting the room.

Conference Style  

This format is ideal for smaller groups where attendee interaction is a main objective. Seated around tables, participants have a direct view of their colleagues to facilitate discussions. Specify what type of table arrangements you need based on the objectives of your meeting:

1. Boardroom: One solid, rectangular table that can be an existing table in a hotel meeting room or created by putting together 30-inch tables. This setup is best for a board of directors meeting with heavy discussions as participants are in closest reach to each other.

2. U-Shape: Tables are arranged in a horseshoe, which is ideal for meetings that need to facilitate discussion between attendees but also include an audiovisual presentation set at the opening of the “U.”

3. T-Shape: Best for a panel, presenters or lead management that needs to sit at the top of the “T” and direct the discussion down the length of the tables.

4. Hollow Square: Best for meetings that do not require an audiovisual presentation. If the hotel has serpentine tables, request a rounded hollow square setup to maximize seating on the ends. If these are not available, straight tables can be placed at an angle creating an angled hollow square setup.

5. Multi-Sided Shapes: Multi-sided shapes such as a diamond or octagonal are best for larger groups of 20 or more. They comfortably seat nearly every attendee at the end of a table and provide direct sight and voice communication to participants.

Banquet Style 

This setup works best for meetings that require food and beverage service and where participants are asked to break out into small groups. Setup includes 60-, 66- or 72-inch round tables with chairs around the entire table or only on one side—a crescent-round or half-moon setup. If your function includes a speaker or audiovisual presentation, the crescent-round setup allows for better viewing of the presentation while still facilitating discussion between attendees.

Combination Setups  

For large conventions with a quick turnaround between meeting and meal functions, consider combining a theater-style setup with banquet tables at the back of the room. Attendees can easily move from one function to the next without major changes to the room setup.

No matter what setup you choose, remember to consult with your conference services manager on what setup has worked the best in his or her facility and any challenges that need to be overcome such as columns restricting sight lines or fire marshal restrictions. Facilitating a learning environment in accordance with your meeting’s objectives should take top priority. The more comfortable the room can be for attendees, from the width of the chairs to the temperature in the room, the more likely they will learn and interact on a higher level.

The common excuse is “I don’t have the time,” or “my manager isn’t going to read the report anyway.” But it begs the following questions: How will your manager learn about the meeting’s success? How will the organization appreciate your abilities and the planning skills required to pull all of the complexities of meeting planning into a spectacular event?

A post-con report summarizes and showcases every element of your work, and demonstrates the results of the meeting. It provides hard data to determine if a meeting should continue to be held, improved upon or eliminated. Armed with a solid report, you can better manage and control your overall meeting systems, discovering new ways to improve the speed and flow of details.

You need to record the history of each event. How many of us can remember the details of a meeting we planned a year ago? What did the evaluations tell us? What did the focus groups and committees report to us in the post-con meetings? What were the final results of our financial report? Did we achieve our goals? How did we market the meeting? A post-con report provides the facts when we reopen the file to plan for the following year.

The report answers the tough questions you may be asked about the success of the meeting, as well as the areas requiring improvement: What was the return on investment for the organization, the stakeholders and the meeting planning department? Were the attendees satisfied with the meeting and why? Was the location convenient to attendees? What were the highlights of the location? Can the failures be fixed? What aspects of the meeting worked? Should the organization retain or eliminate the meeting? In order to persuade change and move others into action, the report should summarize information and facts, not emotions.

Components of a Post-Con Report

1. First, determine who will read your report and what information is important to them. Will it go to senior management, board members or volunteers? Perhaps you will be the only reader. Whoever else sees it may not be interested in the extensive detail you deem important. Simply ask what they would like you to report on after the meeting is complete. Once you know your audience, begin to develop an outline for the report. As you collect the data, place it in a folder right away.

2. Match the culture of your organization. Does your audience prefer a one-page summary in a memorandum format, a long document with appendices and color charts and graphs, or a five-minute PowerPoint presentation? If you’re covering all the areas below, be sure to create a cover page with your name, date, the meeting name and your organization’s brand.

3. An executive summary contains the most important elements of the whole report, offering conclusions and highlights from the material that follows. While it is the first, and maybe only section your audience will read it should be written last. It needs to contain original material. Do not simply copy sections from the report and place them in the summary.

4. Listing the names, roles and responsibilities of the meeting planning staff is critical in order to showcase your team’s talents and abilities. Also, it is wise to include detailed timelines, demonstrating the hours and coordination involved in the work you do.

5. Many organizations use volunteers. Listing their names, roles and responsibilities highlights their contributions to the overall meeting.

6. The meeting agenda needs to be summarized in a short paragraph reviewing the theme and the program plan. The detailed agenda is placed in the appendix.

7. Demographics may be of particular interest to your organization. Answer the following questions: Was there an increase or decrease in the number of attendees, and why? Where did the attendees come from? Are attendees members? If not, why not? Was there minority participation or participation from any other group that may be of importance to the organization? How did attendees hear about the meeting?

8. There are numerous types of evaluations for every part of a meeting. An overall evaluation communicates the attendees’ impressions of the entire event. Specific evaluations for speakers, special workshops or receptions, the trade show, vendors and meal functions can be designed and individually summarized in this section. A summary of issues surrounding contracts and negotiating points is quite helpful when you are considering whether or not to return to a property or city in the future. Notes pertaining to vendors and third-party suppliers offer a plethora of information as well.

9. Having risk and crisis management plans in place is critical. Was the crisis management plan implemented? Much of this information is confidential and cannot be released to all of your readers. Ask the major stakeholders where certain information should go. Highlight critical situations within the report. The detailed plans are to be placed within the appendix.

10. Include a summary of face-to-face, post-con meetings. There are two types of face-to-face meetings: formal and informal. It is human nature to be quite frank and direct when speaking with a meeting planner one-on-one. When the same person is in a group meeting, they evaluate who is in the room and are careful with their statements. Conducting post-con meetings with the site representatives, exhibit company, board members, executives, meeting planning staff and planning committee members is traditional.

11. Marketing documentation such as publicity materials, photographs, press clippings, magazine articles and social media impressions, as well as a list of reporters in attendance is critical for your marketing strategy for next year.

12. The budget report begins with a summary of the overall financial strategies followed by a listing of procedures, activities, a savings chart, a spend management report and the buying decisions of attendees.

A post-con report reflects the overall meeting strategy—the big picture supported by the data. You need to write and present post-con reports regularly to demonstrate that the meeting planning is truly a profession, not just set a set of skills.

Michele Wierzgac, CMM, is an experienced business leader and speaker, focusing on helping people build their business skills, especially in marketing, personal branding and leadership. She presented a two-part session on creating a post-con report at Rejuvenate Marketplace. To learn more about Wierzgac, visit micheleandco.com.

I agree. However, in the faith-based and trade show arena, a drop of 25 percent or more of the attendees due to some unforeseen occurrence could have fatal implications for a sponsoring organization. Here are a few questions you need to answer to determine if you should consider cancellation and interruption insurance:

➤ Does your show/event generate a significant amount of your annual revenue?

➤ Would a sudden, last-minute and significant (5 percent or more) downturn in attendance substantially impact your organization’s financial status?

➤ Could your organization cancel an event and not be significantly affected by the loss of profit?

All of these questions relate to the financial viability of the sponsoring organization. For those unfamiliar with this type of coverage, it protects your revenue—not your profits.

Here’s an example, based on a very realistic scenario: You produce an annual event with 2,500 attendees. Each registrant will pay $500 for registration. Your event has a trade show component; 150 exhibitors each pay $2,500. And don’t forget your sponsors: Add another $500,000. Between all of the above, you’ll generate $2.125 million in revenue. Your profit will be based on the difference between what you spend to produce the show and your revenue—an estimated $1 million.

Close to the start of your program, there is a health issue—say swine flu or SARS. Remember SARS? Your host city has a high number, or the highest number of documented cases. A renowned medical agency publicly recommends, “Don’t go there because there’s a chance you may get sick.” It isn’t an epidemic, but suddenly your attendance starts falling. You’ve already contracted and committed based on 2,500. Now it may be 1,700 or as low as 1,200. Your revenue projections now look like you may break even at best. If you had purchased an event cancellation/interruption policy, you can now get a good night’s sleep.

Here’s why: The insurance will protect your top-line revenue. You’ll be able to pay your bills, protect your income and remain financially intact. A claim of this magnitude will take a while to settle and requires an enormous amount of documentation and substantiation.

There’s a reason we don’t drive without insurance: risk. Ask yourself how much risk you’re willing to accept for your denomination, organization or company. The premium for this type of coverage is expensive. You have to plan for it, budget for it and apply for it each time you want it. It may not be best for everyone, but this is where you need to do your homework, assess your risk, discuss the upside and downside, and be prepared to live with your decision.

Industry associations—Meeting Professionals International, Professional Convention Management Association, etc.—have researched numerous providers and options and will serve as a great first step in determining which is best for you. So, take the time to make a well-informed decision.

In fact, you can’t afford not to practice teambuilding. Quite often, taking a break from your habits cuts down on negative energy and creates efficiency and enthusiasm when you return to work, even after an illness. What works on a personal level also works on a team level. There’s real ROI in taking sick days, or alternative days, for a team or organization. It’s important to plan a meaningful break to recharge, gain new perspective, and recognize and address areas within a group’s culture that can be improved. A well-planned, productive teambuilding program can go a long way toward helping.

Qualified teambuilding providers facilitate programs that are catalysts for change within organizations, propelling growth, promoting a positive culture and healing rifts. And it’s OK if there’s fun involved, too. Fun is a necessary component to sustaining a high level of activity, engagement and buy-in for an organization’s mission. The teambuilding event should be engaging, interactive, intelligent and welcoming; it should promote creativity.

Preprogram questionnaires are vital to ascertain what your objectives, challenges and ideals are. They can be as simple as email questionnaires or they can be detailed preprogram assessment tools such as the Herrmann
Brain Dominance Instrument or The Team Dimension Profile. With a preprogram assessment and defined objectives, you can make sure your teambuilding event will key in on areas that need to be addressed. An effective debriefing also is vital to producing lasting results. Questions and discussions might include things like:

• What was learned during the event?

• What new awareness was created?

• What is the plan of action to implement what was learned?

• What support does your workforce need to try to follow those action steps and maintain the new lines of communication established during the teambuilding event?

An effective debrief won’t mean much if there isn’t follow-up by the teambuilding facilitator, such as email reminders to participants, surveys assessing results several months after the event and reports to managers. Objective evaluations of areas of strength and of weakness, especially from the outside, help organizations move from old models and shake things up in the interest of growth and renewed efficiency.

Last, but certainly not least, a teambuilding experience is just that—an experience. Having group experiences to promote engagement and emotional involvement within your organization are vital to sustaining what you do. Think about a past experience you have had, maybe a favorite vacation. You might not remember the hotel room you were in, or even the name of the beach, but the memory will take you back to that emotional place, and you’ll reconnect with the feelings you had at the time. Teambuilding is a great way to accomplish that.

Build Benefits
There are real benefits to incorporating teambuilding activities into your program, including:

• Increased efficiency through sharing of common practices, questions, concerns and challenges

• Better problem solving through networking and sharing solutions to common challenges

• Increased morale leading to higher retention, efficiency and creativity

• A more cohesive, united vision and mission

Billy Kirsch is a Grammy-nominated, CMA and ACM award-winning songwriter. Through his company, Kidbilly Music, he provides teambuilding programs, educational workshops and keynotes, connecting people with their creative abilities to innovate, originate and solve problems. kidbillymusic.com

Not every youth event requires skate ramps or bungee cords to spike kids’ interest. Incorporating activities into traditional meetings that get young people moving around, releasing energy and interacting with one another can be simple and economical.

1. Set goals before making budget cuts. Assess whether the event’s mission can be accomplished without extracurricular activities, and if not, make sure the activities are intentional and focused.
2. Take a break. A constant stream of worship services, teaching and workshops causes brain overload. Develop structured activities that get students out of their chairs and mingling with others.
3. Offer options during free time. Some students just go back to their room if they have empty blocks of time. Try a sports tournament at the local park or tour of a city attraction. Retreat centers often have beaches, recreation venues or gymnasiums available, as well as staff that’s prepared with creative spins on classic games like dodgeball or tag.
4. Don’t overlook the classics. Campfires, roasting marshmallows, eating s’mores and singing songs are great go-to activities and might be new experiences for some.
5. Facilitate relationship building. Kids network, too. Organize small group discussions that group students from different locations or schools to foster new relationships.
6. Make a difference. Provide opportunities for students to give back, be it a service project in the host city or a fund drive that supports missionaries around the world.
7. Develop teambuilding. Teambuilding is fun and purposeful. Students make incredible spiritual connections after completing a task requiring a group to work together to be successful. The experience makes the truths of the Bible relevant.
8. Choose a host wisely. Select partners that can help you realize your ministry goals. Many Christian conference centers share your values, provide affordable full-service accommodations and include a variety of recreation activities on-site.

Zach Norman, marketing manager for Lake Williamson and Midwest Christian Retreats, put himself through college by planning student ministry conventions and camps. Today, he assists with planning, promoting and hosting events at six Midwestern retreat facilities.

By Larry Anderson

A plush bed with a high, pillow-top mattress may be a welcome sight for a busy meeting attendee at the end of the day, but for a little person, the luxurious bedding now featured in many high-end hotel rooms represents something else entirely. It’s an obstacle.

Marge Carlisle, a member of the conference management committee of Little People of America (LPA), says the trend toward higher beds is just one challenge little people face when traveling to a meeting or convention. Other issues include towels located out of reach (on a towel rack high on the wall), shower heads adjusted for a 6-foot-tall person that spray water over the head of a little person, an out-of-reach registration desk and mobility challenges such as 6- or 8-inch steps that are difficult for a little person to maneuver.

Carlisle and other members of the LPA conference management committee do on-site inspections and negotiate contracts to ensure that facilities for the national conference are accessible to the organization’s attendees, which can fill up to 700 rooms. “When they have high pillow-top beds, it requires us to have the hotel provide a stepping stool for each room,” says Carlisle. A hotel might have to provide 300 or 400 stools to accommodate conference attendees. They also have to build stairs to provide elevated access to the registration desk.

Accommodating meeting attendees that have such special needs, which are often centered around a physical disability, requires meeting planners to embrace the idea that each person, whether disabled or not, is an individual with a special set of needs.

A person with a disability faces numerous obstacles when attending a meeting. How can I maneuver the narrow aisles of the airplane? Can I handle the unwieldy door at the hotel? Will my wheelchair fit between the tables in the meeting room?

A blind person might be puzzled by a reference to a PowerPoint slide. A deaf person might struggle in the dim auditorium light to see a sign language interpreter. The needs may not always be obvious, says Carlisle. “Consider the weight of the bathroom door, the ease of swing, if it is easy to open or close. It might need to be propped open [during an event].”

Meeting planners are more likely to face these issues and others related to accommodating disabilities in coming years. Nearly 24 percent of the total U.S. population will be disabled by 2030 (assuming incidence rates by age remain the same), according to a Harris Interactive study commissioned by the Open Doors Organization. More than 15 percent will be severely disabled.

“What are their abilities?” asks Jani Nayar, executive coordinator of the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH), an organization that seeks to raise awareness of the needs of travelers with disabilities. “What are their disabilities? What can he or she do or not do? Can the attendee get up from a wheelchair, take a few steps, stand up a few seconds, move from a chair to a seat?”  She adds, “You have to make sure you know what their abilities are. Don’t assume anything.”

The ADA and Beyond
Fortunately, many obstacles for anyone in the United States have been removed because of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which recently marked its 20th anniversary. The act specifies design requirements to make public buildings and facilities, including transportation facilities and meetings venues, more accessible. Also, the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 requires airlines to accommodate persons with disabilities, whether at the ticket counter, on the concourse or on the airplane.

Planners should incorporate an assurance of ADA compliance in any venue contract for protection in case a problem subsequently arises with regard to accessibility, says Laurel Van Horn, research director of the Open Doors Organization. The Chicago-based organization’s goals are to teach businesses how to succeed in the disability market and to provide direct support to people with disabilities. “While hotels and other establishments typically say they are ADA-compliant, many in fact are not,” adds Van Horn.

Whenever possible, the planner should conduct a site visit in addition to asking specific questions. Possible problem areas include parking and drop-off points, routes to the building entrance, the actual entrance, routes to meeting space, the meeting space itself and restrooms. For overnight accommodations, planners should ask about accessible guest rooms (including how many have roll-in showers) and assistive technology (such as all-in-one visual notification kits and strobe fire alarms for those with hearing loss or portable shower benches for persons with restricted mobility). Also of concern are facilities such as restaurants, says Van Horn.

Public restrooms are an area where hotels and other meeting facilities often fall short related to compliance, especially in the case of older properties, says Van Horn. Instead of a full-size wheelchair stall, they may have an ambulatory stall with a raised toilet and grab rails on both sides — a configuration that works for older persons and those using crutches or a walker but not for people with no ability to stand and pivot from a wheelchair. There also may be a lack of lateral transfer space beside a toilet (often blocked by a sink), high mirrors, soap and towels out of reach, sinks too low to roll under and door latches that require tight grasping or twisting. And it’s not a case of one-size-fits-all, says Carlisle, who notes that a “handicapped” toilet is taller to accommodate a wheelchair user but is too tall for a little person to use.

Planners should also be aware of unenclosed staircases or escalators in public areas that could pose a hazard to persons with vision loss. During a site visit, look for a nearby natural surface or grassy area that could provide a service dog relief area, Van Horn suggests. Also, some doors are too heavy to open (5 pounds maximum pressure is allowed), and other doors swing in and block wheelchair access.

Logistical issues are a big part of accommodating persons with disabilities, and you have to consider the smallest detail. For example, it’s important to make sure a hydraulic lift on a transportation vehicle can handle a traveler in a specific wheelchair, says Nayar. The lifts have a capacity of 600 to 700 pounds. Some electric wheelchairs weigh 400 pounds or more. Depending on the size of the traveler and whether they use other heavy equipment, such as an oxygen concentrator, the lift may not be able to handle the wheelchair. “You need all the information beforehand, so it is not a surprise,” Nayar says. “Also, always get the dimensions of the wheelchair.”

Karen Wolffe of the American Foundation for the Blind urges planners to ensure that a venue has Braille and large print signage for restrooms, exits, room numbers and other locations such as the cafe, cloakroom, lounge, registration area, emergency exit or medical supply station.

The ADA is a difficult law to enforce, says Eric Lipp, executive director of the Open Doors Organization. “Sometimes accessibility shortcomings can be overcome by old-fashioned customer service through individual attention to each guest and their specific needs,” he says.

Accommodation also requires communication, both during an event and before. Sadly, not all barriers are physical; attitudinal barriers are everywhere. Often, service personnel treat a person with a disability as if they cannot make decisions for themselves. Instead, they ask questions of a companion, says Nayar.

Pre-Event Planning
Accommodating persons with various special needs requires planning ahead, starting months before an event. Pre-event promotional materials should request that attendees who require accommodation for a disability contact the organizer with details of their specific requirements. But Wolffe notes that a brochure should be sent electronically in order to be effective for people without sight or with severely limited sight.

Elizabeth T. Spiers of the American Association of the Deaf-Blind suggests setting up a section on a registration website for people to state their needs. “As the date gets near, you need to set a deadline by which people need to respond,” says Spiers, who recommends allowing a month at least to arrange interpreters or other services — the more time the better. Planners may want to contact a sign language agency, a computer-assisted real-time captioning (CART) company, or someone to provide assistive listening devices or systems in order to find out how much time they need. “It is often more expensive to provide accommodations at the last minute,” she says.

“If you are working with a person who has both a vision loss and a hearing loss, it becomes a little more complicated,” says Spiers, whose organization services people with both vision and hearing losses. One deaf or hard-of-hearing person with low vision may need his or her own interpreter, while another may rely on his residual hearing and prefer an ALD (assistive listening device) or CART services. A fully deaf-blind person may rely on tactile signing and need an interpreter who can sign into his or her hands.

During a Meeting
Accommodations for disabled persons during a meeting can include something as simple as designating enough time for breaks and between sessions to allow persons in wheelchairs to navigate the restrooms, elevators, etc., especially if such facilities are limited in number. Planners also should be sure there is enough space for wheelchairs to move freely between tables and to maneuver and turn. Open spaces scattered throughout a room allow attendees in wheelchairs to position themselves as they like.

Carlisle suggests that meeting planners accommodate disabled persons with as little separation as possible from the rest of the group. For example, anyone riding in a wheelchair accessible van to a conference outing misses out on the conversations and networking opportunities happening on the bus where everyone else is riding. “Find a way to include people in as much as possible without segregating them from the group,” she urges.

A major obstacle for wheelchair users is the availability of ground transportation, or lack thereof. Holding meetings on-site or at an adjoining facility can save time and money, as well as wear and tear on attendees. Multi-day conferences should be held on full-service properties, Van Horn recommends.

The arrangement of the room, lighting and seating should ensure that deaf persons can see sign language interpreters or CART captions; space should be reserved in the front of the room for these persons. To the extent possible, interpreters and CART operators should be provided with a copy of presentations in advance. At a minimum, a list of specialized terms and proper names should be provided, says Van Horn.

If there is a directory, the information should be available in an accessible format. There also could be helpers available to answer questions and to direct blind people to registration, meeting rooms, restrooms, dog guide relief areas, etc., says Wolffe. “One of the most challenging issues [for blind persons] is the use of PowerPoint slides by many presenters,” Wolffe says. “If presenters don’t have their materials available in braille or in a large-print version, they should describe for the sight-impaired everything that is shown visually — pictures, cartoons, graphs, etc. Presenters should avoid saying ‘look at this’ or ‘see what I mean’ while pointing to a slide or some other pictorial cue. Without sight, it is impossible to follow.”

Don’t Be Shy
Lipp says planners shouldn’t hesitate about asking meeting attendees beforehand what they need. “Don’t be shy,” he says. “You’re not saving any heartbreak by being shy. All you’re doing is putting yourself and that person in a bad situation. You should ask them to communicate what they need.”

Carlisle suggests a goal of providing accommodations that make a person as independent as possible. “We don’t want to be asking people to do things; we want to be as independent as everyone else,” she says. A simple example is locating the salt and pepper shakers nearer the edge of a large table rather than in the middle where a little person (or otherwise disabled person) couldn’t reach it.

The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section, offers a document on evaluating the accessibility of a meeting site here.

Understanding the various protocol and etiquette guidelines in selecting the right speaker is critical to achieving your overall mission and creating the best impact for your annual convention, meeting or retreat. Youth conferences offer a special opportunity to impress upon our future leaders the importance of a strong foundation and to equip them with tools for their success. Oftentimes, planners in the faith-based market are providing essential skills that otherwise might be overlooked. So, beyond seeking a speaker who will entice your audience, thereby building attendance, what important factors do you need to keep in mind if you also want to engage youth and stay mission-focused?

Here are five proactive steps to take when selecting the perfect speaker for your event:

1. Create a clear roadmap.
Be sure to review the overall theme, mission and desired outcome for the event with your program committee. Do you have specific learning goals? Do you want to motivate or encourage your attendees? Are you looking for a feel-good speaker or a results-oriented speaker? You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint, would you?

2. Create a speaker RFP (Request for Proposal).
Most planners have heard about sending a request for proposal to a hotel, but did you know you could send a request for proposal to your speaker as well? Speakermatch.com is a wonderful site where you can post your speaker criteria and the system will search the database for a list of speakers that match your requirements.

3. Check references.
Speakers will have testimonials on their media kits and websites from past events. Request that they send you a list of six people you can call for a personal phone reference. When they give you the list, be sure to call the last three on the list. This will ensure that you are getting a true assessment, since most people will list the best references first.

4. Do more research.
Be sure to do a Google search on your prospective speakers. Look for anything questionable that might negatively affect your event. Look at what others have said on various social media sites. (Point your browser to google.com and put the speakers name in parenthesis.) If you find anything of concern, you can bring that up with the speaker prior to signing a contract.

5. Review the contract with the speaker.
Once you have found the right speaker, you need a contract. Much like booking your hotel or event venue, the contract is essential to understanding the fiduciary responsibilities of both signing parties. Some contract items to consider include: deposits, cancellation fees, rebooking clauses, recording parameters, materials, travel expenses, payment terms and more. (Read “Getting the Essentials in Speaker Contracts” at RejuvenateMeetings com.) Finally, be sure to interview the speaker. Talk with him or her and listen to your inner voice before making your final decision. If you have done all the preliminary work, but still have questions, perhaps another speaker is a better fit.

Dallas Teague Snider is a business etiquette expert and founder of Make Your Best Impression. For a free special report, “Cultivating Influence and Loyalty with Clients and Colleagues,” visit makeyourbestimpressioncom/report.

By Larry Anderson

Can we see a show of hands: Who’s looking for better ways to engage meeting attendees?

Audience participation has come a long way in today’s high-tech environment. Attendees can now participate in sessions in real-time from their seats, using a smartphone, keypad or some kind of “clicker” device to provide feedback to a presenter. Livelier interactive sessions are possible using real-time polls to get audience feedback — complete with instant PowerPoint slides illustrating trends and results. Audience members can also text ideas to a presenter for brainstorming or Q&A. It’s a more democratic approach because the least shy person — or the one with the loudest voice — no longer has the upper hand. Anonymity also enables discreet discussions and feedback about sensitive topics.

“Audience response is so critical in our industry and it has changed so much in the last few years,” says Jim Spellos, CMP, founder and president of Meeting U. “It has gone from a really expensive approach to one that at least theoretically should be connecting with your smartphone to be able to utilize it in session.”

Spellos, who speaks at conferences and events about the latest technology tools for meetings, says that Poll Everywhere seems to be leading the charge when it comes to Audience Response System (ARS), but Turning Technologies also offers a quality option in TurningPoint that takes advantage of attendee smartphones. “Really the trend is going from a much more elaborate system to what makes most sense today,” he says. “Which is being able to use the attendees device to send the answers.”

Poll Everywhere offers a free product online that enables up to 30 attendees in a session to participate using their smartphones, laptop or Twitter account. Attendees can vote and see the results in seconds in a PowerPoint slide — the presenter only needs to cut and paste the slide from the Web site into their presentation before the session. (Slides created with the free product include the Poll Everywhere logo.) Smartphone text messages or tweets are great ways to ask questions of expert panels or provide feedback to a presenter.

For larger gatherings, Jeff Vyduna, co-founder of Poll Everywhere, suggests buying a month of unlimited access to the system for $375. At any given time, up to 2,500 people can respond to a poll, and you can use it as many times as you want during the month.

Jim Spellos is a frequent speaker on technology and "Way Cool Tools" for meeting planners.

ARS is also a greener approach to feedback surveys. The technology can be used instead of paper surveys after conference sessions. True/false, multiple choice or strongly agree/strongly disagree opinion scales can be included. The systems can also capture demographic information. The technology lends itself to getting the information you would normally not get until a post-event survey. “What better way for us to find out how people like what we’re doing, how much people like or dislike the conference, than to really get a sense about what people feel at the time they are feeling it,” says Spellos. “Imagine being able to make a mid-course correction in terms of content or programming or timing because the audience really doesn’t like the way the session or the event is going. Now that is an extreme example but if you think about it, it has a lot of power for the meeting professional who understands those tools and can harness them properly.”

At the higher end, another ARS provider IML provides interactive meeting services using its own specialized keypad and software for applications such as corporate and association meetings and events, shareholder meetings and charity fundraisers (including silent auctions). The keypad is a polling device, can provide text messaging and has a built-in wireless microphone — when an attendee pushes the microphone button, it locks everyone else out. Costs are higher (as much as $20 per device per event, but a flexible pricing model depends on how many events and how many attendees). The company offers top-to-bottom service for clients, and does about 2,500 events a year globally. The largest-ever event had a live audience of 8,000. Accuracy has been audited because IML systems are used in shareholder meetings. The devices were used to pledge $26 million during a Robin Hood Foundation fundraising event in New York last May.

Engaging an audience ensures continuous attentiveness during longer presentations, says Ray Hansen, director of business development for IML. During a 60-minute presentation, for example, getting audience feedback after each 20-minute span of time can ensure that attendees’ brains remain in the “active” rather than “passive” mode so they retain more information. The feedback could be a quiz or opinion poll. It could be used to measure comprehension of the subject matter or to direct the remainder of a presentation. IML can display poll results using 3-D animation or show them over a graphic; there are plug-ins for PowerPoint and Flash Player.

“As a participant, when you are engaged, you are going to get more out of an event,” says Hansen. Meetings are more productive when everyone gets a say without having to compete for attention. Also, audience-directed sessions encourage a feeling of ownership among attendees.

By Scott Reagles

So you’ve planned your event, your audiovisual company has set up, the tables and chairs have been dropped – then the fire marshal walks in and throws a monkey wrench into your whole program.

Believe it or not they actually do show up, and more often than you may realize. They are not interested in whether your set up looks great or not. They are interested in public safety. And if they see fit they can prevent your session from taking place. But with a little due-diligence, you can avoid problems.

Exits:
Make sure all exits are clearly visible. Depending on room size and seating capacity, the fire marshal may require that exits behind the stage and technical areas be accessible. A fire marshal may even require personnel stationed at exits to assist in the event of an emergency.

Aisle Ways:
Aisles  need to be clear and unobstructed. Required widths of aisles will vary depending on crowd size and the location of exits. Usually the facility will know what the fire marshal requires for aisle-width dimensions.

Trip Hazards:
You might think that trip hazards are things that are in the way of walkways or exits. But trip hazards can also be considered thing that COULD be in walkways. Fire marshals may require chairs to be tied or fixed together, preventing them from being moved into areas where they would be in the way if there was an emergency.

Fireproof:
A fire marshal may require that an AV company provide proof that drapery and other scenic material have been fireproofed. Most professional drapery will have a tag sewn in. But other custom-made scenery may be an issue if near lights or other heat sources. Also, anything hung over people’s heads must have a steel safety wire.

Fog Machines & Fire Alarms:
AV companies and lighting designers love to use fog machines and hazers because it makes the light beams visible (which is a great effect by the way). But these devices wreak havoc on smoke detectors. Using fog machines must be approved in advance so that smoke alarms and fire detectors can be disabled. But wait! In order to do that at least one person (sometimes more) will have to be hired to stand guard and manually trip fire alarms in the event of a fire. This is usually the case any time smoke detectors are disabled, even for rehearsals and focusing lights.

Pyrotechnics:
Simply put, if you have any kind of fireworks in your event, don’t mess around. Call the fire marshal’s office at the very beginning. Tell them everything you’re planning on doing and get their approval.

By Larry Beatty

Unfortunately, most retreat coordinators are “sweet talked” into their positions with tactics similar to these: “Don’t worry. It won’t take much time – we’ve already picked the date.” “You won’t have too much to do because you can delegate the work.” “We know you can do it. Here is all the information from last year.”

But no matter what the committee might say, retreat planning is hard work. Individuals who accept the responsibility must take the task seriously and plan to spend ample time on the project. A poorly planned and executed retreat is worse than no retreat at all. Here are some tips to help you efficiently plan a memorable retreat.

Program Planning/Scheduling
Whether you are planning a retreat for youth, women, men or families, the fundamental building block for everything you do is to know the people in your group and be sure your program is designed with their needs and interests foremost in mind.

If your conference depends on a key speaker as an attendance draw, the speaker must be well known and able to talk about major issues that relate to the majority of your group. Appoint two or three people to research speakers and musicians. Get recommendations from other groups that have done similar retreats. Most program directors are willing to share information and ways to contact speakers and musicians. Word-of-mouth is usually the best way to find the professionals you want.

Line up speakers well in advance. Do they agree with your purpose/doctrinal statement? Do they support the objectives of the retreat? Before contracting speakers, establish a budget and determine what you can pay them. Figure travel, meal and housing costs, as well as honorariums.

Be considerate of speakers’ needs for rest and privacy. Speakers spend many hours in preparation and traveling, which is usually very tiring. A welcome gift like a fruit basket placed in a speaker’s rooms is appreciated.

When scheduling the retreat program, be sure that there is enough free time for participants to enjoy the setting and some recreation if they wish. A schedule that has too little free time is a frequent frustration at many retreats.

Appoint one or two people who would be responsible for recreation and free-time activities. Use every opportunity available at the retreat center for participants to enjoy what the property offers. Schedule activities that encourage letting go of formalities and having fun. These kinds of activities produce an atmosphere in which relationships are often strengthened and enhanced.

Choosing a Facility
A well-defined purpose will help set some parameters for the kind of facility you need. If you are doing a marriage enrichment weekend, nicer accommodations may be more important than lots of recreational opportunities. A youth group wanting to spend a fun weekend together may put a high priority on what recreational facilities are available.

When considering your facility, the key question is how much money do you want to spend? And more important, what is the group as a whole willing to spend? The group that was so enthusiastic about the super-low price you negotiated for them may not be too enthusiastic about the resulting sagging mattresses and the mystery meat sandwiches. Just one suggestion about price: If you feel your group would appreciate something just a little nicer, but perhaps some attendees wouldn’t be able to afford it, go with what most people could afford. Then you can offer financial assistance to those needing it.
Have several options on dates that would work for your group. When comparing prices between retreat facilities, in addition to comparing the meeting and lodging facilities, make sure you ask what is included in the basic fee. Is there an extra charge for use of the meeting facilities? Do certain recreational equipment or activities cost extra? Is audiovisual equipment provided or must you bring your own? What is the charge for such service? You will have a better retreat experience if all of these details and questions are worked out before before you sign a contract.

A facility that is doing a good job serving groups will require a contract and a non-refundable deposit, usually 10 to 15 percent of the minimum fee. Be sure you understand what additional cancellation charges there might be should you cancel after you have signed a contract. Also, be sure that the minimum number of participants and the corresponding minimum fee are reasonably attainable. Take contracts very seriously. The board members of your church or organization will take the matter very seriously if they have to make up the difference when you miss your minimum or if they have to pay cancellation charges.

Another very important consideration in finding the right facility is evaluating the staff’s attitude toward service and hospitality. One good indicator of a service-minded facility is that there will be staff available throughout your stay to answer questions and take care of you needs. You will be happiest in a facility where the staff views serving retreat groups as an important part of their ministry, not just a way to fill beds and help pay the bills.

Talk to other groups and find out where they have received the best service. Whenever possible, it is very important to visit potential sites. If you find out they have “oversold” their facilities in a brochure or over the phone, they’re probably overselling their service too.

Understanding Budgeting Basics
Calculate all of the program, promotion and travel costs and divide this by the minimum number of people you hope to have. Don’t forget to add in costs for your speakers and resource personnel (people who won’t be paying for their weekend but for whom you will be charged by the retreat center) when you are figuring out your total costs. Add this amount to the per-person costs you are charged by the camp or retreat center. Make this your per-person charge for the retreat. If more people attend than your minimum estimate, you will have some money left over for next year’s deposit and promotion.

If you are concerned about keeping the cost low so that everyone in your group can afford to attend, you might want to consider adding a couple of dollars to the total price for everyone who can afford it. Then use the extra money as a sponsorship fund to help those who really do need some financial assistance. Also, remember that charging too little for a retreat might make it appear that the facility and the experience is not going to be all that great. It can make people wonder about just how rustic the facilities they will have to stay in are!

Low-Coast Promotion:Get Enthusiastic Supporters

Begin promoting at least two or three months in advance for a weekend retreat, and be sure to require a non-refundable deposit from each person who plans to attend. Deposits help people follow through on commitments. If you find yourself just a short time away from the retreat and you still haven’t reached your minimum, don’t panic – be creative. Try these options:
1. Start a phone campaign, calling every member and friend of your group.
2. Tell group members they can invite a friend who’s never attended your group before to come along for half price.
3. Invite another group within your organization to come along with you.
4. Invite members of your group or other people you know who otherwise were not planning to attend or who couldn’t afford the retreat to come along as your guests.

You need people on your promotion team who are excited and enthusiastic about what this retreat is all about. Enthusiasm is contagious and sometimes your best way to get others interested. Select people who are willing to personally invite others to attend. The personal touch is usually the best way to promote.

What is the budget for your promotional brochure? Focus content on what it is that you are offering (relaxation, comfort, fulfilling relationships, peace of mind, inspiration, etc.). Remember that the purpose of the brochure is to inform potential attendees and to get them to come!

Keep it simple. Don’t say anything that you don’t have to say in the copy. Avoid clutter. The brochure will reflect the image of the event and the group sponsoring it, so make sure it is done well and tastefully, even if it is inexpensive. Publish travel information, speaker details, and program highlights, as well as the schedule, what to wear or bring and a registration form. Registration information should be clearly stated, including the cost of the event, what the refund terms are, whether there is an early-bird discount, and details of any additional costs.

Evaluation and Follow-up: Planning Your Next Retreat
Evaluation forms do not have to be lengthy. In fact, they should be short and simple to answer. The purpose of an evaluation is to help you evaluate the success of meeting your objectives; know what attendees liked or disliked; solicit suggestions on what they want to hear or do at future retreats; and help you follow up with any spiritual commitments and with people who are new to your group.

The best time to plan for your next retreat is right after the retreat is over, while ideas are fresh and enthusiasm is running high. It is also a good time for people to commit themselves to being on the planning team for next year’s retreat.

Use the information you have gathered from the evaluation forms. Make decisions on the basis of majority opinions, not just one or two comments. The people who speak the loudest may be in the minority. That is why a written evaluation is a good tool, because you will likely hear from everyone – even the quiet participants.