Tips for Successful Meeting Planning
Many meetings do not meet the criteria for Global Event Management (GEM) support
but still require careful planning and execution. If you find yourself serving as a meeting
planner for your department or group, here are some tips to make your event a success.
Set objectives
Set your event’s objectives and goals prior to contacting a venue or hotel. Goals and
objectives will help to determine your needs.
For example, if you need:
 Facilities for strategy sessions or intense planning meetings, consider the MetLife
Long Island City Conference Center
 Convenience, consider an airport hotel or city-center hotel
 Drive-in meetings, consider suburban hotels
 Special event venues, consider restaurants, museums, etc.
Please note that it is the Company’s position that certain venues and venue
accommodations are not appropriate for business meetings (resorts, spas, etc). If you
have a question regarding the appropriateness of a venue, please contact Global Event
Management or Steve Reine at metlifeclientmeetings@travelandtransport.com.
Establish specific dates/times
Make your calendar specific, or if you are early enough in the planning process, consider
multiple dates and/or times. When working with a hotel or venue, the more flexibility
you have with your dates, the more opportunity you will have to book your preferred
venue at a good value.
Contact hotels or other venues
Contact hotels/venues and inquire about who handles the type of meeting/event you
are planning (usually the sales group will handle your initial request). When speaking
with the hotel/venue representative:
 Identify yourself as a MetLife associate
 Ask the name and role of the person you are speaking with
 Provide an outline of your plans and objectives, as well as the business purpose
(training, town hall, product roll-out, sales meeting, etc.)
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Provide specific dates or a range of date/time options
Ask when your contact will get back to you with options in writing
When you receive the information back from your contact(s):
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Request a contract. When the initial contract request is made, send the
appropriate contract addendum (if applicable) and a list of MetLife
competitors to the venue (to ensure no competitors are holding events at
the venue at the same time as your event). The addendum must be signed
by the venue prior to a contract being approved and signed by MetLife, and
the contract must be signed by an officer of MetLife.
Contract questions can be addressed to Steve Reine at
metlifeclientmeetings@travelandtransport.com or Global Event
Management
Share the standard concessions requested with your venue contact
Verify dates, times, and locations outlined in the contract, and the sleeping
room block (if applicable) – make sure your guest room count is as close to
accurate as possible to avoid no-show/attrition charges
Review all financial obligations, including room rate, room block guarantees,
attrition schedule, room rental charges, taxes, gratuities, deposits, and
cancellation penalties.
Make sure there is adequate meeting and event space.
Additionally:
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Meet the hotel or venue contact person
See space prior to arrival
Walk through the space and contract terms
Request copies of all menus
Request a copy of the audio-visual pricing sheet (If PSAV is the in-house
audio-visual provider, please contact Jay Kirk from PSAV prior to your
event to receive the MetLife-negotiated 30% discount on AV equipment.
Email: Jkirk@psav.com, Phone: 828-236-0924)
Review specifications (banquet event orders/BEOs) provided by the hotel
or venue.
Critical considerations to keep in mind as you make your plans
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Deposits: never pay 100% of expected charges up-front. Have a percentage
billed to you as the initial deposit payment. That way, you have some leverage
in case of disputes.
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Be familiar with room set-up types. A few of the most common are below.
Theater style: chairs only, for short meetings or presentations
Schoolroom/Classroom: tables and chairs, for longer meetings/note-taking
Conference style: for small groups of 25 people or less
Crescent or banquet rounds: good when interaction among participants is needed
U-shape: for small groups of 25 people or less, several presenters
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Food and beverage planning:
o Take into consideration tax and gratuity when pricing menus
o When planning a bar do not purchase package plans (price per person
charge). Always purchase bars on consumption, where you pay for what
is consumed.
o Review banquet event orders (BEOs) prior to the meeting to be sure
venue has ordered what you expected.
Audio-visual:
o Bring your own computer or advise speakers to bring their computer for
presentations when possible
o AV support and equipment is often available at venues for additional
charges. Please note that onsite labor charges can dramatically increase
your expenses, so ask about this.
o Request a copy of the AV pricing sheet and compare to the final invoice if
applicable
Payment of invoices:
o Please reconcile and track all meeting related expenses; compare the
final charges against original specifications.
Please reference the planning timetable below for additional helpful
information.
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