How to Organize Successful Business Meetings?

We all know that team meetings, seminars, and corporate retreats can’t be improvised! From selecting a venue to choosing activities, many aspects need to be taken into account to create an efficient, pleasant, and rallying event. Here are a few tips you might find useful when planning your next successful business event in the Eastern Townships.

Choosing the Right Venue

Define the Experience You Hope to Offer: A traditional, classic hotel for business meetings at the Chéribourg, a luxurious hôtel by the lake at the Ripplecove, a recreational setting in the heart of nature at Jouvence, an exclusive destination for a corporate retreat at Domaine Lac Brompton. Or perhaps you’d prefer a grand manor to impress your guests at Manoir Maplewood. The Townships offer venues for every type of gathering. Explore the Eastern Townships’ many meeting venues.

Visit Before You Book: Take some time to learn more about the spaces offered, the equipment included and the services available. A short visit can make all the difference and avoid many unforeseen issues once your event gets underway.

Some Tips for a Successful Meeting/Corporate Retreat

• Choose a venue adapted to your needs: Before renting a conference hall, take some time to visit the venues that interest you. By doing so, you’ll be able to meet the support teams, discover different types of meeting rooms, and check the equipment and services offered. You’ll also be able to get a better idea of how you can optimize a setting for your meeting. Don’t hesitate to ask the establishment’s management to plan such a visit.

• Send an official invitation: Your invitation notice constitutes the participants’ first contact with the event. It must clearly contain all the essential information, and offer a glimpse of what your guests can expect during this upcoming experience. Add some pictures of the venue!

• Hire an event planner or MC: These experts will help to ensure your event flows smoothly.

• Establish an agenda: Determine the content and duration of each activity. A well-structured agenda allows participants to understand the meeting’s objectives and facilitates time management.

• Plan team activities (Team Building) :These can be carried out throughout your event. Also, think of adding some downtime to unwind.

Add Some Special Touches for Your Participants/Employees

Adding a few small perks will contribute to making the experience more memorable for participants.

• Clothing: Offer some kind of custom apparel with a logo or symbol relating to the event. For example, a crewneck sweater or socks.

• Gift Boxes: Build a gift box containing snacks, drinks, artisanal creations, and other locally sourced products emblematic of the region visited. In the Eastern Townships, you might want to include Bleu Lavande lavender products, beers from the Siboire microbrewery (both with or without alcohol), La Bauge, L’Orpailleur, or Cep d’Argent wine selections, Fromagerie La Station cheeses and Cherry River distillery spirits.

• Trip or Activity Giveaways: Organize a small contest for your colleagues and raffle off prizes, like a local getaway or an activity in the region, or offer a gift card. You might want to consider such options as Espace 4 Saisons, OTL Gouverneur Sherbrooke or Manoir Hovey for a stay. As for activity ideas, Strøm Spa, Spa Bolton, the Zoo de Granby, or the ASTROLab are all very interesting destinations for discovering the Townships.

Your participants will leave the corporate retreat, their heads filled with great memories.

Establish the Proper Setting for Constructive Exchanges

A corporate retreat is, first and foremost, an opportunity for taking a step back, exchanging opinions and moving forward with new ideas. To make the most of your gathering, plan time for these moments, stay in tune with your team, and make room for spontaneous discussions. Grab Your Pens! Write down ideas as they emerge, and be open to the ones that will help your team move forward!

An Eco-friendly Business Event

Choose an Establishment with the Green Key Certification : This certification ensures that the venue you’ve chosen is eco-friendly. With Green Key, hotels and inns have the tools to adopt sustainable practices, therefore enabling them to reach these sustainability objectives. The Eastern Townships’ certified establishments include among others: Espace 4 Saisons, Estrimont, O T L Gouverneur Sherbrooke, and Ripplecove Hotel & Spa

• Local Seasonal Products: For meals, snacks and beverages, opt for seasonal products and regional suppliers. It’s a great way to reduce supply chain transportation and discover local flavours.

• Accurate Number of Meals: Determine the exact number of meals as precisely as possible to avoid any food and drink surpluses and waste.

• Water Bottles: Eliminate single-use water bottles. Instead. Why not offer your participants personalized reusable bottles?

• Transportation: When possible, encourage public transport, carpooling, walking, or cycling. For those travelling by car, electric vehicles are also good options.

• Reuse, Recycle, Compost: Use reusable, recyclable or compostable tablecloths, napkins and centre pieces.

• Simplify Waste Sorting: Install clearly labelled sorting stations for composting, recycling and waste materials, and place them in strategic, high-traffic locations.

Why not Extend Your Stay?

If you have some time before you need to head back, take this opportunity to discover the Eastern Townships during your business event. A walk along the shores of Lake Memphremagog, a foodie experience at one of the region’s farm-to-table restaurants, an outing on the Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route, a star-gazing evening at Mount-Mégantic , or a cultural event in Sherbrooke… You’re sure to find something that will please you here! Psst! Why not plan an activity before your event gets underway and mix business with pleasure?