Category: Meetings

You know that networking is vital for your career, but you may still be hesitant to attend networking events. Maybe you’ve had your share of expensive conferences that seemed like a waste of time. Maybe you’re wondering if LinkedIn and other social media are enough on their own.

The truth is that face-to-face communications still carry more weight than emails and texts. Plus, events can be an efficient way to meet a large number of potential contacts in a short time.  

Robin Poling, our sales manager here at Stonewall says, “I believe that the in-person meetings  allow us to be authentic, and it also allows meeting attendees to have that human touch, which we so desperately missed in the last 24 months or so.”

Making that in-person connection can elevate your business relationships and increase your ROI. If you want to come home from your next networking event with something more valuable than a pile of business cards and memories of free cheese, read our tips for networking at your next meeting, conference, and other in-person events.

With spring comes warmer days and plenty of opportunities to explore outside.  And while there are plenty of tried-and-true team-building activities out there, why not shake things up with something a little bit different at your next meeting or corporate event?

We have a few ideas to help you do just that!

Here are seven unconventional ideas to get your team working together and having fun this spring.

There’s no denying that today’s organizations are turning to group meetings as a way to boost productivity and drive innovation. Naturally, that became tricky when the pandemic changed how the entire world operates. We are seeing a return to in-person events overall, but not all venues are created equal in terms of their ability to return to bringing teams together in person safely. 

Safety, social distancing, varying vaccination requirements, and health screenings are now a part of our daily lives which can make gathering in one place increasingly difficult. As they say, the show must go on, and your business has to continue moving forward, even through difficult circumstances.

If you’re planning to implement group meetings again, be sure you choose a venue that can accommodate your needs while making the health of your attendees a priority. 

As we move further into the future, event planners will need to keep up with ever-changing trends in order to put on successful events. Tech is king but event planning is more than just offering the latest and greatest technology. We’ve put together some corporate event planning tips that will not only improve loyalty and engagement but will also help with your ROI, too!

Event planning isn’t for the faint of heart, and the devil truly is in the details. From choosing a venue to picking the menu, the bottom line is always your ROI. For that reason, before you spend a dime or do any planning, it’s best to determine the purpose of your event and how you will gauge its success. 

If your meeting is a training meeting, then a straightforward measure of success is to test for proficiency, either at the meeting or the workplace. If your meeting has a dual purpose, for instance, training and team building, it may take a little more time to determine your ROI. 

Having an idea of the overall role and the expected outcome makes the planning much simpler. All decisions for the meeting should go through the filter of “will this help me meet my overall goals for the meeting?’ This helps weed out things that may seem necessary but really aren’t, given the overall mission. 

Crisp air and shorter days can only mean one thing, fall is here! It is the perfect time to start thinking ahead while giving your team a break and investing in their well-being.

This time of year is an ideal time to plan an offsite strategy meeting that includes team building activities since everyone is winding down from summer, they are falling back into a routine, and the busyness of the holidays is not yet upon us. It can help mentally prepare everyone for the year ahead. The weather is also often cooperative in the fall so you can safely meet outdoors or inside with open windows and doors for fresh air.  

Are you planning an offsite meeting? Or maybe a once-in-a-lifetime social event? Every hotel has its own sales tactic with the reasons to choose their particular venue. We prefer to take a more personalized approach, working with clients to tailor their events to maximize their ROI while offering the best experience possible. 

However, there are some standard differentiators with Stonewall Resort that make our venue stand out. Here are a few that resonate specifically with prospective meeting planners. 

Some people may be surprised to learn that strategic planning is more than just reviewing numbers. Businesses must consider all aspects of their business, such as how well it’s running at this moment in time or where it’s likely heading in the future. This is best achieved through strategic planning with an organization’s leadership team.

One advantage to planning an offsite meeting is the change of scenery. Although the overall mission is a productive, focused time, intermittently taking your team to enjoy the great outdoors has many benefits. As a matter of fact, when you add outdoor meeting space or recreation to any meeting, you can expect participants to be more attentive, creative, energized, and relational. Keep your team engaged by incorporating new meeting styles and team-building opportunities.

We’ve been apart for some time now – what a better time to engage in team-building to bring your teams back stronger and more resilient. Thoughtful team-building activities are one of the most effective ways to boost your company culture, which ultimately leads to diversity, inclusion, and equality.

Building a loyal, inspired, and cohesive team through intentional team-building activities and events will bring us back together with a renewed appreciation of each team member, their strengths, and their individual contribution to the organization.

Let’s explore some trends in team-building activities to do just that.