Michigan Vision Source Annual Statewide Meeting
Planning Guidelines
- Basic Premises for Meeting Planning
- Time Lines to be followed as closely as possible
A. Why? What is the overall goal? What do you hope to accomplish with this meeting?
a. Theme: Profitability? Management? Practice Growth?
i. Time Line: 1 + years before the meeting
B. Who? Are you trying to reach all the personnel in the practice or just principals?
a. Keep in mind it is easier to get a Vision Source message to everyone in the practice at the same time rather than relying on having the principals relay the message at a later date. Many times this does not happen.
b. Make sure notifications are made well in advance and often. “Survey Monkey” has proven to be a good method of getting everyone’s names recorded for an accurate determination for space, F&B, nametags etc. BUT even with the best of notification techniques, it is still going to come down to the administrators making phone calls to spur everyone’s response.
i. Time Line: 9 – 12 months prior to the meeting
C. When? Check your calendars carefully for conflicts.
a. Make sure you are aware of all the religious holidays, school vacations, optometric meetings, golf leagues, sporting activities etc. that could be conflicting and affect attendance. Wednesdays have always proven to be advantageous to the Michigan administrators along with a late Fall date.
i. Time Line: 1 – 1 ½ years prior to the meeting.
D. Where? Site Selection: Determine how many attendees you anticipate coming to the meeting which will then dictate what venues you can consider. Remember breakout rooms available for staff breakout sessions.
- Also keep in mind a central location with easy access since you will be drawing from all over the state.
- Hotel /eating facilities should be, if not attached to the meeting venue, in close proximity.
o Time Line: 1 – 1 ½ years prior to the meeting. Acceptable meeting venues get taken quickly and well in advance. You may even consider a 2 yr. window.
E. Budget: Determine accurately ALL the expenses.
i. Venue: Set up fees and room rentals.
ii. Speakers: honoraria and travel fees.
iii. Food and Beverage ( F&B).
1. Breakfast, lunch and breaks.
2. Dinner the night before for speakers, administrators and VSR’s.
iv. Audio / Visual (A/V): Watch out ! This can be very expensive.
- This must be done before contacting sponsors to determine how many dollars are needed to put on the meeting.
o Time Line: This has to be done in advance of contacting sponsors subsequently in the early planning stages.
F. Sponsors: Breakdown the sponsorship levels:
i. Platinum: $5000. This entitles the sponsor to have a display table and 15 minutes of podium time to address the attendees.
ii. Gold: $2500. This entitles the sponsor to have a display table and 5-8 minutes of podium time.
iii. Silver: $1000. This entitles the sponsor to have a display table but no podium time.
iv. Sponsor: $500. This entitles the sponsor to be mentioned in all the promotional material as a sponsor.
-Time Line: Many potential sponsors plan their next year’s budgets for events of this type in early Fall of the year prior to any event. Therefore contact have to be made well in advance of the meeting date.
G. Administration: Careful consideration has to be given to the details of running the meeting itself:
a. Using VSR facilitators is extremely important.
i. Compiling attendance lists
ii. Making sure all presentation copies, handouts, name tags etc. are prepared and ready for distribution efficiently.
iii. Developing and managing the breakout sessions for staff presentations. Open ended discussion sessions seemed to be appreciated by the staff as opposed to structured presentations.
iv. Insuring that the flow from one area of the meeting to others is well documented so there is no confusion in getting people from one place to another. Color coding for break-out sessions.
b. Designation of introductory speakers, usually administrators. Who is going to introduce whom?
c. Who is responsible for insuring everything at the meeting has been set up correctly. Sounds simple, but you don’t want to walk into a room 30 minutes ahead of meeting time and find the room has been set up incorrectly.