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Novotel has the tools to organise your meetings.
Our tip sheets
NEW TALENT
You periodically need a place to hold training sessions for your company or, if you are a training firm, for your clients.
- For your co-workers
- For your clients if you are a training institute
In order to :
- Meet the goals of the training course
- Give participants the desire to put into action what they have learned
- Stimulate discussion and encourage networking
NOVOTEL IS AT YOUR SIDE
The success of a training course closely depends on how well everyone interacts with each other and connects with the course itself. We recommend that you anticipate as much as possible what the trainer's "logistical" needs will be so that he/she can concentrate on the training course content and interacting with the participants.-
To bring participants closer together
Choose a U-shape setup, where the trainer can be in the middle, to encourage discussion and interaction among participants. However, other configurations are possible, such as having no tables in the meeting room if you want to organize role-playing exercises. Lastly, for working in small groups, plan to use additional small meeting rooms so participants can focus on their task better.
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To set a pace
In between work sessions, organize short breaks, particularly after lunch, to let participants stretch their legs and clear their minds. Everyone will dive back in with renewed energy and sharper focus.
To help sharpen concentration, meals should be on the light side, with a walk afterwards to aid digestion. -
Optimising the meeting environment
Ask the training instructor for a list of specific requirements, including room setup, times of meals and breaks, equipment needed, audiovisual setup, number of meeting rooms, so that everything can be done to promote a good learning experience.
TEAM SPIRIT
As a manager, you regularly bring your team together to hold meetings outside your usual setting, or to review and assess the team's track record, its objectives, results, successes and failures :
In order to :
- Re-motivate your team by setting new objectives
- Reinforce their feelings of being part of the company
- Air problems and find the right solutions by discussing them with all the participants
- Clarify how the company works and establishing a road map on which participants can base their work.
NOVOTEL IS AT YOUR SIDE
To work together as a group, each person has to feel comfortable in order to be able to speak freely. We recommend, therefore, that you promote a casual atmosphere that encourages sharing and constructive discussions.-
To bring participants closer together
Choose a U or rectangular setup so everyone can see each other.
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To nurture bonding among the participants
Plan a group activity to kick off the afternoon session or to end the day's work. Whether cultural or sports-related, it will be time well spent for it will help solidify the team. Similarly, plan to alternate work sessions with breaks so that participants can relax and socialize amongst themselves.
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To optimize conversation during meals
Cultivate togetherness by arranging to have meals catered in the meeting room if you want to save time to be able to do something afterwards; or organize your meals in the restaurant to promote conviviality in a more family-like atmosphere.
360° MEETING
You want to organize a meeting to present a new product or a new service to your clients, your distribution network, or a network of opinion leaders. Perhaps you would like to share your company's results with your shareholders and get them to sign off on your strategy. Maybe you need to inform the members of an association about actions that were carried out and the results they achieved.
In order to :
- Test the relevance of your project
- Court your clients, convince your distributors, and get your shareholders to agree with your plans for the company and decide on a road map to base future actions on.
NOVOTEL IS AT YOUR SIDE
To convince your audience to sign off on your project, speak in a fairly formal tone in order to convey a maximum degree of professionalism. Take care with both the form and the content of your message for the participants will take all these elements into account in their overall perception of the event.-
To optimize your product presentation :
Choose a theatre configuration or, perhaps, a U setup with a dais for the speakers so that they can be clearly seen by all. If there is to be a very large audience, have a public address system set up in the room.
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To show off your project :
Decorate the conference room with your company or association colors, posters, banners or other various material that will further demonstrate your presentation.
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To welcome your guests :
Have hot and cold drinks available to serve. Opt for a traditional meal in a private banquet room or a cocktail-type affair with buffet to close your meeting with a tasty flourish. Similarly, a nice touch is to present guests with a little gift at the end of the meeting as a way of thanking them and leaving them with a positive image of your company.
BUZZ SESSION
You are looking for strong, innovative ideas to launch new products or new services, improve your offering, dream up a new way to operate, or to develop a new plan of action with your team.
In order to :
- Collect as many ideas as possible by bringing your teams together in a relaxed setting
- Optimize discussion to drive your company's projects
- Create a convivial ambience so that everyone feels like speaking openly and freely.
NOVOTEL IS AT YOUR SIDE
To unleash each participant's imagination, we recommend your optimize the classic meeting codes by adding convivial touches in order to create a group dynamic favorable to discussion and inspiration.-
To facilitate discussion
In the meeting room, choose a setup that allows participants to interact better with each other. Have round tables instead of a U setup or theatre configuration, for example...
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To optimize creativity
Have one flip chart per table. Provide Post-It notes to jot down ideas, etc...
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To energize the meeting
Plan breaks between working sessions. After lunch, for example, organize a mini-putting competition or a video game challenge. Both are good ways to boost the spirit of competition among the participants.
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To ensure everyone enjoys optimal working conditions
Ask that drinks and snacks be available at all times in the meeting room so that people can have refreshments when they want. Similarly, rather than a traditional lunch at the restaurant, serve food and drinks outside on the terrace or near the meeting venue; this will give participants a chance to converse among themselves and exchange ideas in a convivial ambiance.
Our Tools
Space calculator
To help you plan your meeting, enter the number of participants or the amount of space you require; we will suggest the room that best suits your needs.
Calculate the space necessary for your eventChecklist
The success of a meeting essentially depends on how well prepared it is.
Download the check-list (pdf)
You have to anticipate everything so that you can concentrate on the business at hand during the meeting itself. Novotel, an expert in meeting organization, offers you this checklist: it is an indispensable tool to make your meeting a total success.
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