Grocerants Small-But-Impactful Ways to Take Your Next Meeting from Good to Great

 

So, what makes a successful meeting? Creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for your attendees. We have a guest Blog today from Valentina Fonseca Krug who is the founder and lead designer of Lola Valentina, an upscale tabletop decor company offering custom and collection-driven designs printed on decor placemats, table linens, runners, napkins, and more.

The team at Foodservice Solutions® likes the fact that this revolutionary design house offers print-on-demand services and original pattern designs, tailored sizing, and expansive colors inspired by nature, fashion, and architecture. Visit their design bar and explore countless pattern combinations or work with our full team of in-house designers to create the perfect custom look for your next meeting, gala, or luncheon. Get in touch today to bring your vision to life with Lola Valentina! Here it is:

 Building a Larger Share of Stomach

“Meetings give your attendees a chance to connect, engage in meaningful conversations, learn and grow, and contribute to the success of a project of cause. However, hosting a successful meeting involves a lot of hard work and planning—from securing a meeting space to organizing catering and inviting guests. 

If you are planning a meeting—regardless of the type of meeting you are planning to hold—check out these simple ways to take your guests’ experience to the next level.

 1.  Offer Virtual & Hybrid Meeting Options

 It is no secret that virtual and hybrid meeting options are here to stay.

Guests attending in-person meetings must weigh the pros and cons of attending, including their travel costs and health risks—among others. In order to encourage people to attend a meeting in person, your challenge as the meeting planner is to overcome these obstacles while ensuring that your guests have a meaningful experience.

During the pandemic, virtual meetings have proved to be extremely successful. In order to continue to connect and meet together, almost every industry, business, event planner, organizer, and vendor has to adapt to virtual meeting platforms.

By holding a hybrid meeting—one that combines physical and virtual components simultaneously—you can connect with attendees from across the globe as well as those physically present. With hybrid meetings, you can now mix virtual and physical meetings together, instead of being limited by virtual meetings alone.  

With all that being said, meeting planners have to create strategies that balance in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings for the foreseeable future.

 2.  Consider Nontraditional Meeting Venues

The meeting venue is everything. Location, the size of your guest list, and access to transportation options are all important to keep in mind when making a decision on which venue to pursue, but consider going one step further by getting creative with your meeting venue choice. Choosing a visually appealing, unique venue for your professional event or meeting will give your guests an unforgettable experience and offer a breath of fresh air.

 These meeting venues are becoming more and more popular:

 ·      Co-working spaces

 ·      Gardens

·      Farms

 ·      Barns

 ·      Warehouses

 ·      Art galleries

 ·      Museums

 ·      Libraries

 ·      Local, state, or national parks

 ·      Rooftops

 ·      Conservatories

 ·      Vineyards

 ·      Botanical gardens

 ·      Historical homes

 ·      Vacation rentals

 ·      Industrial buildings

 ·      Breweries or distilleries

 Don't be afraid to venture outside of the norm to find a unique venue to host your meeting.

 3.  Incorporate Wellness & Mindfulness

As events and meetings shift from virtual-only to hybrid and in person, keep in mind that guests expect wellness and mindfulness at every level. The creation of a meeting space that is beautiful, uncluttered, and comfortable is key to creating a wellness-centric event.

To help you incorporate mindfulness and wellness into your meeting schedule, here are some suggestions:

 ·      Dedicated breaks to spark creativity and brainstorming

 ·      Movement breaks such as stretching sessions 

·      Outdoor activities that offer fresh air and a change of scenery 

·      Meditation and yoga workshops 

·      Massage stations or chair massages 

·      Technology-free zones to encourage conversation and connection 

·      Quiet areas or rooms to work or relax in 

·      Healthy food and drink options 

·      Natural lighting whenever possible

 You can even emanate tranquility and peace with your décor. For example, instead of displaying a wide array of florals, use only one flower type and one color to create a simple—yet stunning—visual display. You can also set up tables and chairs in a way that promotes small groups, resting, and relaxation.

4.  Get Creative with Food, Drinks, & Games

 Whether you are providing meeting attendees with snacks and desserts or catering a sit-down meal, you can get creative with the food, drinks, dishes, glassware, and cutlery to add an element of excitement and fun to you meeting. You can also use unique food displays to attract attention and add an exciting element to your meeting event design.

 Between snacks or courses, incorporate games for your meeting attendees. Everyone loves a little healthy competition—so why not use games to make your meeting more fun? Print ice-breaker questions on napkins, send attendees on a scavenger hunt, or have each table play two truths and a lie to encourage connection and laughter.

 And don’t forget—giveaways and freebies are always a crowd pleaser. To heighten the competition, consider offering gift cards, branded items like shirts and bags, or big-ticket items like tablets and TVs to attendees for winning games or raffles.

 5. Use Eye-Catching Tabletop Décor

 Impress your guests with stunning tabletop décor that will grab the attention of all your meeting attendees. Whether you decide to create a floral centerpiece, drape a custom table runner across each table, decorate each chair with a sash, or add a colorful pillow to every place setting, your table decorations will establish the mood for any meeting or meeting event.

 And don’t be afraid to use bold colors, either! Bold colors are in, and they aren’t going anywhere. Adding pops of whimsy and fun to your meeting décor can really liven up the energy, look, and feel of your meeting space. Choose a vibrant, eye-catching design for your tabletop décor or find colorful glassware for your guests to admire.

 Whatever you choose to do with your tabletop décor, don’t underestimate the power of décor in setting the mood and creating the perfect atmosphere for your meeting or event.”

 Looking for success clues of your own? Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter