Meeting And Event Planning Tips

When organising meetings and events, there are plenty of event planning tips around - the trouble is that most of them are aimed at weddings and domestic parties. There are few sources of information for company PAs needing to arrange corporate events, whether it is the annual conference or the Christmas revelries.

One of the best event planning tips we can offer is to arrange your event with someone who offers a dedicated service, like us at Holiday Inn Meetings BE. Our dedicated Meetings Host service effectively provides a private PA for the duration, who knows both the area and the hotel like the back of their hand.

However, a lot of the arranging will still come down to you, so here are a few event planning tips:

1. Find a good venue with rooms to accommodate both small and larger functions. That way, you can rebook all your events at the same place. Most company delegates and employees like the familiarity of the same premises each time, rather than constantly shunting from one unknown location to the next. Our meeting venues at Holiday Inns cover every size, from large banqueting suites to small tutorial rooms, with clearly laid out dimensions on the booking forms.

2. Make a list of everything you'll need well ahead of schedule, and add to it as you go. Cross off things as they're done, and make sure you know exactly what the venue supplies, and what you'll have to provide yourself. Many hotel venues just supply the room - at Holiday Inn Meetings BE we supply anything you require, from broadband to projectors.

3. Do as much planning as you can online. We at Holiday Inn Meetings BE have a page of useful links on our website, under "Event planning tips." These include driving directions, local attractions, public transport, weather, car hire and local business services - all the things that are impossible to organise if your company is located some distance away. Some of the sites offer specialised software, with templates that include event planning tips for groups of different sizes.

4. Make sure your catering arrangements are discussed well ahead of schedule. If you're not sure if any of your delegates will have special dietary needs, it's best to play safe and select special dietary options, if they're available. Remember, a lot of meat-eaters will switch to vegetarian on the spur of the moment, if it looks appetising enough. Here's a big tip - a lot of Benelux hotels believe in hearty portions and rib-sticking tourist-trade fare. To keep your delegates and guests alert and happy, choose a hotel that offers freshly cooked, appetising cuisine that won't sit heavy on the stomach. We at Holiday Inn Meetings BE have special menus aimed specifically at meetings, which are light, simple and delicious.

5. Remember your delegates might be travelling from a distance - so keep an eye on local travel news, road conditions and such extras. This includes things like festivals and transport strikes.

6. One of the biggest event planning tips of all is - don't panic. Remember, if you choose us at Holiday Inn Meetings BE, you have the services of a dedicated Meetings Host, who can smooth out any problems that occur.

Emma writes articles on <a href="http://www.holidayinnmeetings.be/" title="Meeting Rooms">Meeting Rooms in Belgium</a> including guides to <a href="http://www.holidayinnmeetings.be/nl/planning-tips" title="event planning tips ">event planning tips </a>.