12 Traits of a Great Meeting Planner
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12 Traits of a Great Meeting Planner

By Jeff Davidson | May 21, 2019

[This article was originally published by PlanYourMeetings.com]

After 950 presentations at conference and conventions, I have a fairly good idea of what type of meeting planner is best to work with. Here is the unvarnished truth, (solely on my experience), based on 12 criteria.

It’s not all-encompassing, but if you focus on the accomplishing the elements on the left, you’re off to a great start.

Best clients

Less-than-best clients

Complete my pre-speech survey

Do not complete my pre-speech survey

Have accurately gauged audience needs

Have inaccurately gauged audience needs

Are skilled planners

Are first-time or unskilled planners

Have one person serve as prompt liaison

Manage by committee with no one in charge

Do not over-schedule their attendees

Over-schedule their attendees

Allow me free reign beforehand

Hog my time beforehand

Allow me free reign with handouts

Micro-manage the handouts

Offer a good flyer and good write-up

Offer a poor flyer and/or poor write-up

Provide a hands-free lavalier microphone

Do not provide a lavalier microphone

Arrange the room as I requested

Ignore the room arrangement request

Have adequate food, restroom breaks

Have inadequate food, restroom breaks

Are prompt payers

Are slow payers
 

Author

Jeff Davidson
Jeff Davidson

"The Work-Life Balance Expert" I am a thought leader on work-life balance issues. I have written 59 mainstream books, am an authority on time management and a professional speaker, having made more than 800 presentations to such clients as Kaiser Permanente, IBM, Novo Nordisk, American Express, Lufthansa, Swissotel, Experient, Re/Max, USAA and the World Bank.

I am the author of "Breathing Space," and "Simpler Living." My books the “60-Second Organizer," "60-Second Self-Starter" and "60-Second Innovator" are popular in China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Spain, France and Brazil.