Whether you’ve been planning in-person meetings for years or are just getting started, it can be time-consuming and tedious – especially when it comes to attendee management and communications.
In a recent survey, Executive Assistants (EAs) and meeting planners shared that their biggest challenge in their meeting planning process is coordinating and communicating with attendees.
Much of this communication happens during the pre-meeting stage, before attendees even show up. It’s important to clearly set expectations and the tone ahead of time. This helps build engagement, create a positive experience, and improve communication for everyone involved.
Meeting preparation isn’t just about agendas and logistics; pre-meeting communication is one of the most important (and often overlooked) tasks for planners.
Either you’re bombarding attendees with too much information or not sharing enough. To plan your next meeting like a pro and wow attendees before they show up, follow these pre-meeting communication strategies.
It sounds simple, but aligning calendars and confirming details is a crucial step in meeting planning. First, as early as possible put a hold on attendees’ calendars, even if this isn’t the confirmed final date, it’s good to get ahead to avoid dropoffs. Then send ‘Save the Date’ reminders with a pre-meeting email, leading to the event once the final date is confirmed.
Don’t leave attendees in the dark either, share the meeting objective ahead of time so they know what to expect.
Your meeting is all about the attendees so be sure to go the extra mile. Collect important information so you can tailor their experience. For example, learn about their dietary needs, travel preferences, accessibility, and more. A quick way to consolidate this information is by sending a pre-meeting survey, a helpful part of any meeting planning checklist.
Be sure to personalize where possible, even small touches can make a difference. Attendees may not remember every detail of the meeting, but they will remember how you made them feel.
TROOP makes it easy to manage attendee details in one place. Track RSVPs, build attendee profiles, and collect important information like dietary restrictions and accessibility needs—so you can plan with confidence and create a better experience for everyone, every time.
As you confirm meeting details like location and venue, be proactive and work with attendees to get their travel plans arranged. This is also a great way to showcase your value to your colleagues and leadership.
You’re juggling a lot of tasks as you plan your meeting so keep everyone aligned on the details. A good communication strategy includes a centralized document, folder, or platform where attendees and leadership can find the most up to date information about the meeting. Ensure that this information is easy to find.
If your company uses email solely for communication then send clear and direct communication to attendees in a timely manner.
If your company uses platforms like G-Chat or Slack, create a channel for confirmed attendees to share relevant updates and answer any questions.
Be consistent with the communication platform your company uses as this will help everyone on the same page.
Keep the energy going! Add dynamic visuals or assets when sending communication out, and always share new meeting details as they come in. A communication strategy we live by can be broken down into the “know before you go” summary:
As you continue to plan meetings, adapt your communication style to fit the occasion and what works best for your leadership team and attendees. After all, strong communication is central to successful meeting preparation; set yourself up for success by being clear, consistent, and thoughtful in every pre-meeting interaction.