In today's business world, when employees hear about meetings they often grimace. While meetings are an essential part of business, meetings are often over scheduled and under utilized. Workers may begin to feel as though meetings are interrupting their productivity. For this reason, meeting planners must be thoughtful, diligent, and resourceful when planning meetings – even incentive meetings. Businesses desire for their incentive meetings to be effective, successful, enjoyable, informative, and motivating for their top employees. By following a few guidelines, meeting planners can ensure they get the most participation from employees.

Meeting planners need to make certain that the meeting has an agenda and that all participants are apprised of this agenda. Not only should individuals be aware of the meeting agenda, but they should also be aware of the objectives of the meeting. Information provided to meeting participants should include items such as topics of discussion, presenters, location, date, time, and any other pertinent background information. This can help participants to be well-prepared for the meeting. It will be the job of the meeting planner to ensure the meeting begins on time, presenters are well-prepared, and that employee participation is encouraged. Evaluating the effectiveness of the meeting and noting any suggested improvements will also be beneficial.

The entire business world has been turned upside down and it is consequently time to look at a lot of old ideas and question them. One misconception that many people have is that cruises are only for personal pleasure. Au contraire mon frère, cruise meetings are certainly in style these days. Consider the following reasons:

• Employees are jumping ship and starting their own firms more than ever. Why? Because the pressures of having to do more with less and no raise in sight is driving them to such acts. Would it hurt to schedule a business cruise meeting instead of a landlocked hotel meeting? The results could save employees.
• Businesses are having to do more with less, and cruise meetings are all about more for less. More unlimited food, more entertainment options, more meeting rooms with unparalleled views, and more unique situations in which to get the creative juices flowing, all for a price that may turn out to be substantially less than trying to replicate the same effects in hotels and convention centers.
• Suppliers and customers are also looking for the best deals, and a cruise meeting is a sort of concession for them that might keep contacts happy while they still pay the same price. It may all be a big tax write-off anyhow, so why not consider taking this particular ball and running with it?