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The Decision to have a meeting has been made.

• Determine the purpose of meeting, tradeshow, conference, team building, seminars, party...
• Who will be involved?  CEOs, Board members, employees, suppliers, vendors, general public...
• Choose a date.  Keep in mind holidays, events, weather conditions.
• Determine budget.

Decide if you want to go do it yourself or go with a destination management or a meeting/event planning consultant.

• Destination management companies get a commission so involve no extra cost and many times can negotiate prices that an admin who plans the occasional meeting can't.  
• Depending on the event, meeting/event planners may charge a percentage of the total cost.  This is common when planning an event such as a celebration dinner which includes decor, entertainment, etc.

Select venue for your meeting.

• Decide type of venue; hotel, conference center, rented hall, picnic area, etc.
• Research destinations and venues
• Access accessibility distance from the airport, shuttle and parking situations .
• Does the venue comply with The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990
• Make sure the venue has what is needed.  Are breakout rooms meeting?  Outdoor arrangements?  Will you need exhibit space? .  Meeting rooms with adequate space.
• Does the venue have a business center?
• Negotiate a contract with the venue.
• If possible visit the venue and do a walk through.  Check the sleeping room are as defined?  Is the facility clean?  Are you able to look at the kitchen for cleanliness?  Do the meeting room have the necessary electrical outlets?  Are emergency exits clearly marked.
• Negotiating your contract.  (This is where I have found the destination management consultant has helped the most, they know what to look for.)  Review cancellation and attrition clauses,. room rate, catering, smoking, non smoking rooms, taxes and surcharges,  guarantee times, set up and tear down times, corkage fees, breach of contract and many other points in the contract.  

Participants

• Inform participants of the meetings date and location.
• Will travel arrangements be necessary?   Who is going to incur the costs.
• Informing the participants should include a form or notice to be advised of any special needs in advance, dietary, special accommodation needs.
• Inform speakers of  guidelines for presentations, any speaker bios, deadlines, etc.
• Determine if any attendees will need extra assistance, any attendees with disabilities or special circumstances.

What equipment will be needed?

• What equipment does will the venue provide at what cost.  
• Will there be set up fees?
• Will there been any audiovisual equipment needed, overhead, flip charts, presentation projectors, access to the internet, podium, white board.  Rentals or brought in?

Registration and Master Account

• Who will handle the master account.
• Review the billing daily
• Have a rooming  list, monitor arrivals/departures.
• Make sure the room list spells out who is responsible for bills.  Will telephone charges be covered.  Mini bar?  
• Compare the hotel's reservation list with your room list, ensure everyone has a room.
• How will check in be handled?

Prior to the Meeting

• Review all contracts. Confirm menus to the catering/hotel. Submit any deposits.
• Give any last minute instructions.
• Prepare information for participants, packages, name tags, 
• Ship materials, promotional products and meeting package (pins, first aid kit, pens, laser pointer, tape, scissors, flashlight.. a personal meeting kit).  There is usually a 2 to 3 day window of when a venue will accept materials.
• Set up and distribute an agenda.

Day of the Meeting

• Confirm meeting space is set up properly.
• Equipment in order?  Has it been set up properly Check all the AV equipment, make sure it is in working order.
• Temperature of the room satisfactory.  Know who to go to adjust it.

Risk Management/When things go wrong

• Ensure the venue has safety precautions, exits clearly marked, meeting rooms specifying maximum occupants, sprinkler system, smoke detectors, evacuation directions, and much more...
• Read the fine print on your documentation.
• If you have a speaker and handouts get permission from the copyright owner before reproducing or including any material from outside sources.
• Do the facility have an emergency plan? 
• Does the venue have a security system?  Will your venue need security?
• Ask the venue if what is their policy on weather natural disaster emergencies and terrorism.
• Have a back up plan, research restaurants in the area for catering problems or companies with provide tents for bad weather, alternate means of transportation, if your meeting materials don't show up on time.  Think of what could go wrong and ways to react if the worse happens.
• Know what to do if you have a medical emergency during the meeting.

Post meeting

• Remember to distribute gratuities.
• Have any materials returned to your office.
• Review bills/invoices, if any adjust any discrepancies.  Finalize invoices and payments.
• Be considerate and send thank you's to those who have helped and those you worked with. 
• If any evaluation forms were provided, follow-up and provide your feedback
• Prepare a financial summary on the event.