What is a Meeting Planner Exactly?

An experienced meeting planner is a person with cultural savvy who understands the importance of taking languages and cultures into consideration while planning virtual corporate meetings and events, or putting together on-site international events or meetings. Our multilingual translation and interpreting company is very proud of providing world-class multilingual interpreting services of Mandarin, Korean, Mongolian, Thai, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and other language interpreters for remote international meetings via Zoom and for on-site world events and meetings.

The first thing the Meeting Planner does is establish what is the purpose of the meeting. Is it training, planning, reports from department heads, etc. The planner needs to glean enough information from the client such as # attending, is the client furnishing all material or is the planner to assist in that as well. Meals, printed materials, gifts, registration handler, and more etc. When consulting with the client it will help them to clarify in their own minds what all needs to happen. The meeting planner is most valuable because we are used to going over every detail to be sure that nothing s overlooked including the right venue for the comfort of the attendees. Once an overview is established the fee for services can be negotiated. Then a budget is established, the plan is written and executed by the planner. Sometimes the client will only need the consultation and their HR Department may take over, but for best results, the planner should be kept on board and be included in all decisions. Lack of experience by the client can cause costly error ane the planner can help save money in many areas. ALWAYS USE A MEETING PLANNER FOR BEST RESULTS.

As you know Mary Jo, having been a planner for the corporate world, it also depend on the size of the company. If the company is medium to small need to organize an event or some scale they would want to search outside of the company as event planner have the resources and contacts that a smaller business wouldn't have. Toni D from The Texas Hall gave a perfect explaination for you

A meeting planner is like a wedding planner but with the focus on general events such as business, corporate, fundraisers, etc. The meeting planner supervises and coordinates the strategic, operational and logistical activities necessary for the production of events. In my experience as a meeting planner for now almost 20 years, the most important skills are "Highly Organized, Great communicator, a People Person, a Resourceful".

Tonie DiGiulio

As a caterer, an event planner is MY BEST FRIEND. An event planner will "weed through" the different metrics of success (number of guests in attendance/amount of money "made" at an event/positive feedback after an event/event cost staying within budget/etc) and help everyone get behind the (hopefully) one definition that can be agreed upon. Having that work already done makes it easier for all of the vendors to work towards that same goal, making that event more successful!

Agree with Tonie's reply. Not much to add to it! A meeting planner also works with the business to help determine the goal of the meeting/event, thereby, having that focus as decisions are made about the the meeting/event as far as audience/invitees, content, flow, theme, etc.

I agree with Tonie wholeheartedly! That's what we do!

The short answer is a meeting planner is a patient, prescient, swiss army knife. The long answer is akin to the parable of the blind men and the elephant.

With your experience. You have all of your answers well at hand. Trust in your self. You have this already accomplished.

It’s all about who you work for and what the culture of the company is. I would say that #1, you need to be organized and hopefully creative. It kind of depends what rules your job. Is it always about budgets? Schedule compliance? Creativity? Define successful