BORED Meetings: Infuse a Little Fun!

Let’s face it. You’re sitting in that meeting room all day, staring at the same faces amidst a sea of tent cards, laptops, and binders. How stimulating! Not!

Both planners and attendees have come to expect the same old humdrum meeting experience. With budgetary concerns effecting our non-profit associations across the board, many of the extras that we may have once been able to provide for our attendees years ago, were the first things on the chopping block as the need to examine expenses under a microscope arose.

Still, even in this world of bare bones planning, a dash of creativity and some attention to detail with a very small budgetary investment can transform a board meeting into an experience.

• Show them you are happy (and appreciative) they are there. When our volunteer leaders travel to meetings, it’s important to remember they are taking time away from their own jobs and more importantly, their families — and they aren’t getting paid for it.

• Think outside the fruit basket. Tell the hotel how the accompanying notecard should read for any in-room amenities you have delivered (if you don’t have time to write it yourself). Make it personal and fun. The cost of being thoughtful and welcoming is priceless. Here is a note sent to a board president recently: "Welcome to New Orleans! Looking forward to a productive, yet fun-filled couple of days in the Big Easy. Please just let us know if there is anything we can do to jazz up your stay."

• There’s value in the hidden Mickeys. Yes, I am one of those people who loves to find all of the “Hidden Mickeys” at Disney World. Those special little details do not mean they are unimportant. They make a difference — and don’t kid yourself, your attendees notice. They notice when you do them — and they notice when you don’t! One of my Board Members loves raspberries, but another is allergic. Instead of not serving them at all, I serve them on the side. Are berries going to make or break my meeting? Of course not, but my berry lover did notice that I remembered from the year prior and gave me a warm “thank you” and a wink. At the end of the day, don’t our leaders just want to know that we are listening to them, and that we are paying attention? If you do it on such a minute scale, they tend to trust you when it comes to the bigger issues.

• Set the scene. Where is your meeting? What is going on this time of year? Are there any volunteer birthdays to celebrate with a birthday cake during a break? Taking just a couple of minutes to stop and think outside of the normal logistical needs of your meetings can get the creative juices flowing.

• Don’t be afraid to sprinkle a little theme throughout the meeting room.  Isn’t it more exciting to walk into a space that has been decorated, even just a little? Isn’t it nice to know that someone took the time to think about your comfort too, instead of simply making sure that the meals are ordered and the tent cards are on the table? Punching it up a little with some inexpensive and functional décor makes the space into a room people actually want to be in. Here are just a few free or inexpensive ideas that will have your attendees appreciating the attention to detail:

1. Order photo holder favors to serve as tent card holders during the meeting, They hold the card, serve as a decoration on the table, and are also a favor that attendees can take home — all in one!
2. Don’t just serve a signature drink — tell them what it is and why they are drinking it. Don’t assume attendees are familiar with local favorites. Set little signs with a photo of the drink and it’s ingredients on the bars. If it’s a famous drink at the hotel you are meeting at, give a some info about its history.
3. Many of us already love to infuse local foods into our meeting menus, but take it a little further. Go ahead and order the pralines and beignets, but don’t just order that King Cake for the afternoon break. Have an inexpensive, local-themed prize for the person who actually gets the little plastic baby in their piece. 
4. Scatter some silk cherry blossoms on the table for an April meeting in Washington D.C. Attendees won’t have time to enjoy the festival when they are in the board room all day — so bring it to them! If you really want to blow their minds, do something even more unexpected — put some Cherry Blossom lotion in the restrooms!
5. Have a site visit for your conference next year that’s not too long before your next board meeting? Bring some local candies back and hand them out when you give your next in-person board update. Get them excited about where they are going! After all, they are an important part of your conference registration sales force!