Lisa Trajkovich, COO of Protect-All, a Darian, WI. based laminates company, writes:
I’m looking for creative, inexpensive ways to liven up meetings, while still being sure that the ultimate message gets across. Any suggestions?
Joanne Brooks, president of Creative Impact Group, responds:
There are dozens of creative ways to enliven your proceedings - and be sure your message gets through to receptive ears - without breaking the bank. Here are some examples of how our company has helped clients add pizzazz to their meetings. The sky’s the limit, even on a budget:
Ride What’s Hot:
One high-tech company recently borrowed from TV’s “Survivor” series, grouping employees into “tribes” who painted their own tribal banners. Carrying out a theme like this can be as simple as decorating the meeting room with torches and a few other rustic touches, or as comprehensive as themed invitations, no-silverware meals, and Swiss Army knife giveaways.
If you’re going to try “funny”, try hard:
Comic relief done right can go a long way. One housewares company surprised attendees at a long afternoon meeting with a group of performers singing a personalized song with inside jokes about the company. While using professionals might be a little more costly, it will ultimately save time and add polish.
Prop it up:
When a well-known healthcare firm was looking for an imaginative way to introduce a new sales guide, officials commissioned a mock five-foot-tall manual that had to be wheeled into the meeting room on a trolley. Presenters deadpanned that sales rep would be required to carry the giant guide at all times. After the laughter subsided, the company handed out the real thing: a compact flip chart that fit into a briefcase.
Trivia Buffer:
Game Shows mixing conventional trivia questions with custom-scripted questions based on company products and/or history both entertain and develop an esprit de corps. You can model the format after “Jeapordy,” “Wheel of Fortune” or “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”.
The Truth is out There:
Themed or unthemed, on or off the meeting grounds, scavenger hunts are easy and fun to produce. Sears once hosted a custom-scripted hunt in Chicago that sent employees scurrying to various Windy City landmarks.
Cost for these ideas can range from practically nothing for a scavenger hunt to $8000 and up for game shows. Moral of the story: you don’t have to pay a mint to spice up your meetings. In return, you increase the memorability quotient and show everybody a good time.
Written by Joanne Brooks
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