From site selection to post-event follow-up and every stage in between, seasoned meeting professionals know what they need and who they can count on to help ensure that an event successfully meets its intended goals. The following outline of vital planning resources should prove a helpful crib sheet for novices as well as a handy summation for others.
Destination Experts
Destination marketing organizations (or DMOs, aka convention and visitor bureaus) provide information on meeting venues, vendors, local attractions and more. They can help develop the overall design of the event (including program logistics), suggest ways to house, transport and feed attendees and recommend off-site activities — usually at no cost to the planner.
The staff at The Palm Beaches in Florida, for example, can provide entry to the area’s wide variety of meeting hotels, including beachfront properties, golf resorts and convention facilities, along with more off-beat venues such as the Addison in Boca Raton, a landmark 1926 estate with a banyan-covered courtyard, a glamorous private dining room and the opulent Mizner Ballroom. The DMO also can suggest myriad local activities such as waterfront dining, concerts, baseball spring-training exhibitions, museum and cultural events, polo matches and water sports (for more on The Palm Beaches, see sidebar below).
The Square in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla. Photo Credit: The SquareMeeting Venue Partners
Most meeting hotels and sites with dedicated meeting space have on-staff experts to help planners with their events. A hotel’s meeting services manager — aka conference or convention services manager — is an essential partner whose duties can include overseeing group room blocks, setting up the billing process, overseeing requests for amenities, welcoming VIPs, coordinating outside vendors and more.
Similarly, a property’s banquet manager helps planners devise menus, including special dietary requests, consults with the head chef, determines the number of wait staff needed, and plans the content, layout and setup of meals. They often also manage beverage requests, something that usually falls under the purview of the more broadly titled food and beverage manager. Of course, the even more broadly titled hotel manager is often the first resource for planners seeking help with accommodations and catering.
Of increasing importance in today’s complex world is a venue’s security manager, who oversees the security systems that protect the guests, workers and property. These professionals train staff on emergency procedures, conduct inspections and meetings relating to the venue’s security, advise planners on attendee safety and keep up to date on emerging security threats and related issues.
Tech Support
While many meeting venues have their own in-house technology advisors, a host of independent vendors offer a complete menu of services to planners, including determining light and sound requirements, providing LED screens and video walls, presentation software support, help with live-streaming, audio- and video-recording services, virtual and hybrid meetings, webinars and more. These professionals can resolve issues related to bandwidth, internet access, electrical requirements, even password problems.
Among the many suppliers of tech solutions and support are Cvent, Event Solutions, Freeman, Maritz Global Events and Seamless Events.
Experts on Call
Many gatherings incorporate motivational and/or keynote speakers to rouse attendees to a common purpose or impart important company information. Experts across a wide variety of disciplines can be obtained through a venue’s own in-house meeting services department or an outside speakers bureau, of which the following are some of the most popular:
Team-Building Resources
To remain vital in today’s competitive business environment, many companies have put team building on the agenda as a way to motivate employees to work better together to achieve common goals and foster more creative thinking. In this realm, too, a number of suppliers offer creative exercises including virtual escape rooms, murder mysteries, trivia and cooking contests, karaoke sessions, custom sports events, scavenger hunts and more.
Some major purveyors of team-building activities (whether providing personnel and materials or just the materials) include The Escape Game, Let’s Roam, Outback Team Building and Training and Yaymaker.
Sponsorship Assistance
Planners having to deal with ever-tightening budgets might want to explore sponsorship possibilities with companies that stand to benefit from exposure at an event that relates to their own products and services. Third-party suppliers such as HelloSponsor [hellosponsor.com] and SponsorMyEvent [sponsormyevent.com] match meeting organizers with sponsors using various filters and criteria as predefined by customers on both sides the equation, while outfits like Sponseasy [sponseasy.com] helps clients create professional sponsorship proposals and then help manage the campaign to attract interest.
Sponsored Content
Singer Island's beachfront meeting hotels in Palm Beach CountyThe Palm Beaches: Where Meetings End Too Soon
This is where meeting spaces of every size boasting the latest technology share the stage with vibrant communities and breathtaking natural beauty. Beyond the insights and connections gained within the boardroom, The Palm Beaches take care of the rest with inspiring venues, unique opportunities to connect, and Between-The-Sessions experiences that set meetings apart.
Endless Opportunities Between-The-Sessions
Between-the-Sessions, The Palm Beaches’ community partners, local flavor and breathtaking natural beauty seamlessly become part of the meeting experience. Plan an evening team-building event to play at the world’s largest dedicated croquet facility, schedule a group CSR program at a renowned sea turtle rehabilitation and conservation facility or treat guests to a local food tour to showcase the flavor of The Palm Beaches.
When you’re here, you can explore 47 miles of golden coastline, improve your swing on one of 160+ golf courses or unwind at an award-winning spa. From Jupiter to Boca Raton, 39 coastal cities and towns offer even more to discover: hundreds of cultural attractions, world-class shopping and a critically acclaimed culinary scene.
In vibrant West Palm Beach, the hub for meetings in The Palm Beaches, visitors can walk just steps from the Palm Beach County Convention Center (PBCCC) and it’s connected hotel, the Hilton West Palm Beach, to the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, a bustling shopping and dining scene at The Square and the colorful nightlife on Clematis Avenue.
Find out more here.