009 Meeting planners: The business world’s behind-the-scenes strategists

Dr. Dede Hamm, CMP
Apr 16, 2025
3 min read

Ever heard this one: “Can’t we just book a room and order lunch?” I bet your eyes just rolled. One of my biggest eye-rolling moments was when a manager of a special event venue called because they were looking to hire an event planner (this was back when I was teaching hospitality). They said they wanted to hire a student since they were “just looking for an order taker” to do the job. 🙄

Why is it that so many people think meeting and event planning is straight forward and so simple that anyone can do it? Meeting planning is a complicated, messy job that takes serious skill, patience, and experience. This job is certainly NOT for everyone. Who else can do what you do and not collapse under pressure? (You already know the answer: very few.)

You know that behind every seamless event is a whirlwind of strategy, problem-solving, and grace under pressure that only someone with your experience and skillset can deliver. Whether you’re planning a high-stakes board meeting, a company-wide retreat, or an executive dinner, your work goes far beyond logistics—it drives business outcomes.

You don’t just plan meetings—you make them matter.

You turn vague goals into real results

While others may say, “Let’s host an offsite,” you ask: What’s the goal? Who needs to be in the room? What will success look like? You design every detail—from seating to signage—with intention and purpose. You don’t just book venues—you create environments that spark ideas and build alignment. You’re not just checking boxes. You’re driving strategy and meeting goals.

You save everyone time (and their sanity)

You know which venues are responsive, which vendors can be trusted, and how to avoid the dreaded “AV didn’t show up” disaster. While your colleagues focus on content or big-picture decisions, you’ve already handled 23 details they never even considered. You’re not just planning meetings—you’re clearing the way for success.

You make the budget work smarter

From negotiating better hotel rates to catching hidden fees in vendor contracts, you know how to stretch a dollar without compromising the attendee’s experience. You don’t just keep things on budget—you protect the bottom line. Without you, the "cost of the meeting" would be much, much higher.

You handle chaos like a pro

Last-minute room changes? Weather emergencies? Missing presenters? You’ve seen it all—and fixed it all. While others panic, you pivot. While others ask, “what now?” you’ve already solved it. You are the calm in the storm.

You curate the whole experience

Every touchpoint—from the first save-the-date to the final speaker wrap-up—goes through you. You shape the experience. You make sure attendees feel welcomed, engaged, and inspired. You don’t just plan events—you craft experiences. No app or AI can create moments that matter.

You know to ask the questions no one else knows to ask. Such as:

Who is responsible for submitting the building permit application for the reception tent?
How long can the food stay out before you need to throw it out because it’s unsafe?
Who should sit next to whom at the table to make sure the business gets done? (Or…who do you need to separate or they’ll talk during the whole meeting and annoy everyone?)
Who needs the teleprompter/confidence monitor on stage and who will be offended if you even ask it they want it?
What does the CEO expect in the room during the board meeting and will immediately notice if it’s missing?
Who is in charge of calling the authorities in an emergency?

These kinds of questions are just second nature to you, but not to the “order taker”. That’s what makes you a behind-the-scenes strategist, the one making it all work for your stakeholders.