Think “Small” Meetings Don’t Deserve Attention?
Why Small Meetings Can Be Just as Important as Large Conferences
We hear time and time again why “our little meeting probably isn’t as cool as some of the large conferences out there”. For some reason, the small fish in the big pond mindset can find its way into disrupting meetings of any size.
If the goals of the meeting or event are clear and they are met, the size of the meeting truly doesn’t matter. Having an effective gathering of any size can share ideas, educate team members, praise successes, and plan for the future.
Incorporating the key elements listed below into any gathering can help it be more effective and memorable for your guests.
Let’s start with a few advantages that small meetings have over large conferences:
They're more productive. When you have a small group, everyone has a chance to participate and share their ideas. This leads to more brainstorming and collaboration, which can lead to better decision-making.
They're more efficient. With a smaller group, you can get through your agenda more efficiently and focus on the most important topics which can save you time and money — but also ensure that your attendees’ valuable time is used properly.
They're more personal. In a small group, you have more time to get to know each other and build relationships. This can lead to a more cohesive team and a stronger network working together in the future.
They're more fun. When you're in a small group, you may be able to execute a more fun and customizable activity. And, if you plan on leaving the main venue for a day trip, for example, smaller groups can maneuver around much easier than a large conference.
Next, let’s look at elements of large conferences that can easily be applied to smaller meetings. If the goal is for an effective meeting, why not build some of these into your next event no matter what size it is?
Set clear goals and objectives. What do you want to achieve in the meeting? Make sure everyone is on the same page before you start. Make sure that all aspects of your event — from AV to the custom signature drink at your reception — point back to the event’s goal.
Create an impactful agenda. Not only will your agenda help keep the meeting on track and ensure that all of the important topics are covered, it gives your attendees a guideline for how the day will flow.
Start and end on time. Being prompt and on schedule portrays a sense of professionalism that your attendees will adopt in their interactions during your event.
Encourage participation. Everyone should have a chance to share their ideas. Make sure to include Q&A sessions (and wireless Q&A mics if applicable!) to promote a sense of safe sharing of opinions.
Build in effective breaks. This will not only help to keep everyone's attention and prevent fatigue, it gives you an amazing opportunity to advance the message toward the goal of your event. You can include customized activities or creative descriptions of items at the snack table to reinforce the message presented so far in the meeting.
Summarize the key points at the end of the meeting. Referring back to your impactful agenda, a summary of the journey that we’ve all taken will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that nothing is forgotten. Repetition of key items build to stronger memories of what was discussed.
Follow up with action items. After the meeting, make sure to follow up on any action items that were discussed. This will help to ensure that the meeting was productive and that its goals were achieved.
In summary, as long as goals of the gathering are clear, your path toward a successful meeting is clear. Incorporating elements that might have applied to large conference into your next “small meeting” can turn any event into an important one.
I’d love to chat more about how these elements (along with an aligned plan for your event technology) can be a benefit to your next meeting. Please reach out to us to set up a time to chat — info@equinoxaudiovisuals.com — or through the Contact Us button below.
