Prepare an agenda on the program for annual meetings. The agenda is distributed at the door to participants.

Annual meeting planning could be accomplished by a member committee, whether elected or appointed. Advance planning is the key, and without it, there is usually wasted motion, or no action at all.

Almost as important as the planning itself is the time when planning is started. This must be done weeks-even months-in advance of the meeting.

Detailed plans cannot be developed overnight. Qualified speakers can seldom be found at the last minute. Whether to serve a meal must be decided. Arrangements for a comfort- able meeting site with ample seating, visual equipment, charts, and other essentials cannot be put off until the day of the meeting.

Responsibility for this planning rests with the manager and directors. Their planning must include arranging the time and place, building the program, getting out the crowd, and staging the meeting itself.

Stated another way, the four essentials of a good meeting are adequate facilities, a stimulating and well-balanced program, a large representative attendance, and membership participation. A meeting that fails in any of these respects cannot be entirely successful.

The four general phases of the planning-as well as the four essentials of a good meeting-are interdependent. Although these are discussed separately in the following pages, the officers and directors should tackle them together.