SmartBrief Insights reader Pat Letendre shared her ideas on time management and meetings. Her article is focused on lab managers, but it has universal applications. Three big tips:

• Before even planning a meeting, consider the hidden costs. Is it really worth XX amount of dollars in staff time?
• Take minutes. People who can’t attend shouldn’t be penalized.
• Most important goes first. If there is a critical agenda item, it should be tackled in the beginning of the meeting when participants are the most fresh.

Getting out of the office, Association Meetings reports on groups whose conferences have exceeded expectations, even in a tough economic climate. The U.S. Institute of Theater Technology, which saw a 10% increase in attendance at its March show, went a step beyond for its attendees by negotiating to secure a special incentive for those who booked within the room block and aggressively marketed in the region around the conference to boost drive-in traffic. The Receptive Services Association of America made a similar targeted marketing push for its show in February in New York, including personal calls and e-mails. The group also calculated the “personal ROI of attending the meeting” for its members. Result: a 20% increase in attendance.

More good ideas? Let us know.

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