Remember Your First Meeting? Betti
Janelle Murphy, CMP at Midwest Energy Association in Eagan, MN
H
ow long have you been a meeting planner? Is it long enough to forget what it was like attending your fi rst meeting? If so, it is time to step back and try to remember what trav- eling for the fi rst time was like and how you felt walking into a room with hundreds of
other participants who wanted to know about your business and your role in it.
Betti Budde, CMM and Associate Regional Vice President at HelmsBriscoe in Ely, MN advises seasoned planners to be patient with and responsive to those new to attending meetings. “Some- times we as planners are too close and assume too much,” she said. “I suggest over communicating and being very clear in our com- munications, especially for those who are new meetings attendees.” She admits she was grossly unprepared for her fi rst offsite meeting, a MPI National Conference. “I wasn’t an experienced traveler. I wish there had been someone back in the offi ce who had given me pointers about travel and attending meetings.” Together Budde, a 30-year meeting planning veteran, and Janelle Murphy, CMP at Midwest Energy Association in Eagan, MN with seven years of experience, compiled a list for planners to review with all meeting participants, but particularly those new to attending meetings. Travel Planning The more you plan, the better your experience will be and the more fun you will have. ● Carry a government ID - driver’s license, passport, etc. A col- lege student ID does not satisfy current security requirements.
● Make sure you have a debit or credit card, in addition to cash. ● Fully charge your cell phone before leaving and carry the char- ger with you.
● Dress comfortably for travel - wear slip on shoes to quickly get 46
Budde, CMM and Associate Regional Vice President at HelmsBriscoe in Ely, MN
through airport screenings and wear layered clothing as air- plane temperatures vary, often on the same flight.
● Allow plenty of time at the airport - arrive an hour and a half to two hours ahead of the departure flight time to avoid feeling rushed or missing a flight because of long security lines.
● Know the organization’s travel policies. Can you accept an air- line voucher if you get bumped from the flight but have to pay for a hotel room for an extra day? Carry the travel agent’s phone number in case of delays or rescheduling.
● If you are traveling by car, make sure it is well serviced, or ask about your company’s policy on rental cars.
● Be prepared to pay parking fees at the hotel. Check the prop- erty’s website before leaving for the daily fee.
● Plan your route and means of transportation to the meeting location.
● Know the check-in and check-out times of your hotel. ● If you are arriving late, put a late-arrival guarantee on your reservation so your room is not given away. Call the hotel if your flights are delayed.
● Check the weather in the meeting location in case of storms that may cause travel delays and for correct clothing.
● Pack walking shoes because you likely will walk to meals or planned activities and possibly a tradeshow floor.
● Remember your business etiquette and bring lots of tip money, especially ones and fives, depending on the level of service and quality of the property where you will be staying. Do not ask for change when giving a tip. When in doubt, do tip. Keep track of your tips for company reimbursement.
● Research who else is attending the meeting and plan ahead of time to share transportation to the meeting location to save company funds.
Meeting or Conference Planning
● Prepare to network and bring plenty of business cards. Not MIDWEST MEETINGS SPRING 2013
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