Lunch and learn events or meetings are a great opportunity for both the attendee and the presenter or company. For a quick 1-2 hours, customers, clients, or prospects attendees carve out a portion of their day to enjoy a “free” lunch while learning a little about your company, products, and services.
First, let’s talk about venues. A venue could do a lot for your meeting attendance. If you’re trying to appeal to a cold list of leads, consider a venue that naturally sparks interest in most people. Maybe it’s a museum, maybe it’s a hip, new restaurant or a fancy new hotel.
Second, be mindful of where the venue is located. As appealing as hosting an event in the Marriott Marquis in Times Square may be, how easy and accessible is it?
While your natural instinct would be to wine and dine, consider what you are offering on your menu. Remember that your attendees are there for lunch. Keep the food light, but filling. Consider options that appeal to both men and women if you have a mixed demographic. Steer clear from pasta that is extremely filling and causes fatigue after consumption. Eliminate alcohol. Not only is this group only there for lunch, but you want to be mindful that many attendees drove there, meaning they have to drive back.
There is nothing worse than when a meeting runs long, and if this is your first time in front of this audience, it gives a bad impression. Always assume that your attendees have another meeting scheduled following yours. Be considerate of others time and schedules in a world where every minute counts. Keeping lunch and the presentation moving along seamlessly will be the biggest logistical hurdle.
Part of being able to stick to your schedule is coming up with an agenda. What are the 3-5 most important points you want to talk about? Maintaining focus on the message is paramount to keeping the presentation brief and top-of-mind after lunch is over.
Lastly, have a takeaway! What is the lasting impression you want from the group. If they could only remember one thing, what is it? Consider a branded desk item that they can take back and set on their desk (long-standing marketing).
Working with a trusted meeting planner during the planning and execution phases are imperative during a lunch-and-learn roadshow. A Brightspot meeting planner is involved in every step of the process and just a phone call away. Brightspot’s host of subject matter experts are ready to step in and review all aspects of a roadshow and ensure all the newest ideas are included in every event. Drop us a line, and let’s start thinking up bright ideas!
