10 TIPS TO MAKE YOUR MEETING EVEN BETTER
What goals do you have for your meeting? How much time do you need to set aside for lunch? Does it really matter
What difference does it make what kind of meeting room or course package you choose – after all, they’re all pretty much the same? Here are our top 10 tips to make your meeting your meeting and leave your participants with the memory that this was a good meeting. We at Nermo Hotel have been welcoming guests for almost 150 years, so we have a certain idea of what it takes to create a good meeting between people, we simply believe that we are a good conference hotel.
- CHOOSE THE RIGHT MEETING ROOM:
Choose a room based on how many people you have, because cramped meeting rooms are awful if you have to sit
there for a whole day. Think carefully about what suits you best: classrooms, boardroom tables, whether you want
whether you want to sit in a circle, whether you want a U-shaped table or what is most appropriate for this particular
meeting. At Nermo Hotel, we have rooms that suit from 6 to 100 people. We can offer
everything from a beautiful library to a barn as a setting for your meeting. Read more about our facilities at:
https://nermohotell.no/kurs-og-konferanse/ - TAKE THE TIME TO CREATE A GOOD PROGRAM:
Yes, the most important thing is that you have good professional content. But don’t underestimate the importance of
the importance of adding an entertainment feature or element that can wake up the audience, it’s often the
it’s often the unexpected that you remember best when you get home. We are happy to help you with something cultural,
a storytelling session or an indoor or outdoor activity that can break up the academic program.
By the way, did you know that we have the only 18-hole putting course in the Nordic region? Remember that the “hour of death” is
after lunch, so don’t fall into the trap of scheduling the heaviest budget discussions right after lunch!
lunch! We also have a fantastic wine cellar that can provide a unique setting for a
wine tasting. - THERE CAN NEVER BE ENOUGH COFFEE AND ICE WATER:
At Nermo Hotel we have good coffee and with us the simple is the best, no fancy coffee drinks,
but good Norwegian coffee of the best quality. Of course, we also have a good selection of tea, and not least
we have fantastic mountain water. This is always included in our course packages. - MAKE SURE YOUR ATTENDEES HAVE A GOOD TIME:
At Nermo Hotel, we have been committed to being a good host for almost 150 years.
as we know that the most important thing is that the guests have a good time and feel that they are seen. This is your
meeting, it is therefore important that you welcome your guests when they arrive, that you know their name
know their name if it’s to be expected, that you keep the time out of respect for those who arrive, that they get the
that they get the breaks they need and that they are fed when necessary. Together we will make sure that
needs of the participants are met, then it will be a good meeting, facilitated for good learning. - MAKE SURE THAT ENOUGH TIME IS SET ASIDE FOR BREAKS:
Set aside plenty of time for people to have a break and time to mingle, chat with the other participants. A 10-
minute break always becomes 15 minutes, leave room for this. It’s not a myth that the
that the best discussions take place around the coffee station, this also applies when gathering outside
the office. Adding enough breaks will also reduce the need for participants to
disappear into their phones to answer emails and messages. Feel free to encourage
encourage participants to get some fresh air along the way, we have plenty of that here in Øyer/Hafjell. - BE IN CONTROL OF LIGHTING, SOUND AND TECHNOLOGY:
You just have to test this! We’d love to help you, but you’ll need to arrive a little before all the
all the participants, so that we have time to test this together. There’s nothing that makes for a worse start
of the meeting than when the technology doesn’t work. Also remember to test audio, not just video. Feel free to sit at the back of the meeting room and see what it looks like through the eyes and ears of a meeting participant.
- DON’T UNDERVALUE THE BREAKFAST:
What time does your meeting start? Where are the participants coming from? Some probably haven’t had time to eat before
they arrive, so it might be smart to start with some food, we have many exciting suggestions for
for you. It’s also a good idea to spend some money on good and varied break food. Homemade
cake for your afternoon coffee is especially good when you’re at Nermo, but freshly baked waffles, fruit and
nuts are never wrong either. - LUNCH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY:
A good lunch is essential for a successful meeting. We’ve found that a two-course lunch works best
two-course lunch works best, allowing participants to stay seated, chat with each other and avoid walking
back and forth to a buffet. We recommend that you set aside an hour for lunch, so you have time for both the
good conversation, but also to answer some emails and take some urgent calls, as well as get some fresh air.
some fresh air. - PUT SOME AIR IN THE PROGRAM:
Nothing is as annoying as people starting to leave before the meeting is over. If you want the meeting to end
at 15:00, you need to finish at 15:00, but it’s important to set aside some time at the end for
for reflections and feedback. Use time when setting up the program, ref. point 2,
but don’t be a “time optimist”, it’s better to have some space in the program and extend one of the
breaks along the way. - THE MEETING IS NOT OVER UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED FEEDBACK:
Is it most important that you are satisfied with the meeting or are you interested in getting better? Feel free to send out
a simple evaluation form afterwards. Of course, we’re also interested in hearing what your participants
thought about our facilities. If you and your participants are happy, we’re happy!
Good luck with your meeting.
We’re happy to help you create a memorable meeting; you’re responsible for the professional content, but we’re happy to provide the framework. Feel free to contact us for a good offer on exactly the course package you want.