On the Day
Registration opens at 08.30 for a 09.00 start. We will be there from about 07.30 so we recommend you aim to get there for 08.00 to make sure there is enough time to get prepared and grab a coffee.
What to bring or send
We aim to create a relaxed, intimate environment so that people feel able and willing to share candidly with you and each other. The feel is different to that of a big conference or exhibition by avoiding that ‘vendor versus prospect’ dynamic. All of our members are fully aware of your role in the club and this meeting and we want to make sure this is as productive as possible so, with that in mind…
Please DO bring (or send in advance): plenty of business cards (we will provide badges on the day); one standard 200cm x 80cm pop-up / roll-up banner to place next to your roundtable (we do not provide this); branded items that you can place on or near your roundtable such as pens, USB sticks or other small gifts; supporting collateral like brochures, reports and research to give during or after your discussion sessions.
Please make sure to keep to your tables and allotted areas and take care to avoid encroaching on other roundtables or common areas that should be kept free.
Please DON’T bring (or send in advance): exhibition stands or display walls of any description; unexpected guests or visitors (the number of representatives you can bring from your company is specified in your agreement with us); anything that might endanger the health or safety of other attendees including items which commonly cause allergies.
Dress code
Relaxed.
Plenary / open sessions
You will see from the agenda that we intersperse the roundtable discussions and 121 meetings with ‘plenary’ or open sessions that involve the entire group. These will typically be introduced by one or more guest speakers before opening up to group Q&A. You are more than welcome to comment and ask questions the same as anyone else during these sessions. We only ask that you respect the best practice-sharing ethos by ensuring your contributions do not seek to overtly self-promote or disparage any other organisations present or not.
Roundtable discussions – our recommended approach
You will stay at your allocated table for each instance of your roundtable discussion (discussions run simultaneously three times over the day) so a different group of participants will come to you each time. We aim to make each group as compatible as the schedule and their choices allow, taking particular care to avoid direct competitors in the same session.
No doubt you will have done this kind of thing before so this may be very familiar to you. Nonetheless, here are the best practices we would recommend based on our experience:
1. Skip the intros: each discussion lasts for 60 minutes which will fly by so get going promptly. Don’t ask everyone to introduce themselves or you’ll be half way through by the time that’s done. Their name badges should be clearly visible and we’ll have cardboard tent cards and pens on the table where people can write their names.
2. Briefly introduce yourself (no more than 2 minutes): it’s not unusual for participants to be anticipating ‘the big pitch’ so we recommend putting them at ease from the get-go by making clear that you’re there to talk about real, practical experience. Your introduction should help participants identify you as credible and authoritative so focusing on your background and expertise is good.
3. Outline your plan for the session (2–3 minutes): reinforce that you’re there to talk about real challenges, not just push a product or solution; specifically mention any points provided by individual participants from the pre-meeting input; get an early indication from participants about whether you’re on the right track; ask if there’s anything else they’d like to address; remind them about the Chatham House Rule.
4. Opening the discussion (10–15 minutes): depending on the nature of the topic, there are two general approaches. For familiar topics, invite a few participants to expand on their current initiatives, goals and challenges to get the discussion started. For less familiar or highly technical topics, take no more than the first 10 minutes to illustrate some potential talking points before opening up to questions.
5. Moderating the discussion (30–40 mins): make sure everyone is getting some airtime and nobody is dominating. It’s helpful to have two of you in the session so that one can focus on listening and taking notes whilst the other has more of a moderator role.
6. Closing the discussion & ‘the punchline’ (last 10 minutes): by this point, you have established your credibility and elicited some common pain points so you can shift gear by talking about how you have helped solve such challenges with similar clients and what the next steps might look like. The ‘punchline’ is something that will inspire and motivate that next conversation with you.
7. Take good notes: you’ll naturally want to remember who said what but producing a summary of what was discussed is also a really effective way of demonstrating your expertise and credibility for post-meeting collateral.
121 meetings
Each roundtable discussion session is immediately followed by one of three 121 meetings for two of your company’s representatives (so 6 in total) at your allocated table. Where possible, we try to schedule your top priority meetings immediately after their roundtable with you for maximum continuity. Participants will have received their personal itineraries, including their 121 meetings, in advance.
Refreshments
Breaks: tea, coffee, water, fruit and pastries.
Lunch: buffet style including salads, meat & vegetable dishes and dessert. Please let us know beforehand if you have any special dietary requirements.
End of day networking drinks
We’ll have wine, beer, soft drinks and some light snacks at the end of day networking drinks.
Who to ask about…
JP and an assistant will be on hand during the day but also feel free to ask any of the venue staff for help related to facilities etc.
