Smart managers are making meetings more meaningful.

Rubber chicken. Endless speeches. Budget-breaking centerpieces. Sound like an event you’ve attended? Too many corporate events don’t yield the ROI that Cassie Brown, CSEP, knows they should. As Chief Experience Officer of TCG Events (TCGEvents.com), Brown specializes in planning and executing corporate events that stand out in their ability to produce solid returns.

The North Carolina-based event planning firm’s “Event Differently” approach is needed now more than ever, says Brown. According to a February 2013 survey of 300 corporate executives at companies with at least $1 billion in revenue, 75 percent of executives agree that their company is looking for greater ROI from corporate events this year than in previous years. The survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of TCG Events. It shows that even in the virtual age, live corporate events remain essential. Eighty-four percent of executives indicate that their companies hold corporate events, and four out of five (79 percent) say that their companies understand the value of ROI (e.g., increased corporate morale, new business identification, client relationship building) in doing so.

At the same time, 84 percent of respondents report that their company has made cuts in corporate events in the past few years. “Corporate events are a prime example of the ‘do more with less’ trend found across American businesses today,” Brown says. “While appearances will always count, what’s most important now for our clients is that every event serves as a true business driver. Often, that means shaking up expectations based on past events.” Brown says it’s encouraging that more companies are building clear objectives and measurements for ROIs into their offsite strategies. “One of the first questions we ask our clients is, ‘When you’re all back in the office, how will you know that this event was successful?’ Sometimes those answers end up being very different than why they think they were having an event,” she says. “It’s also about what do you want those attendees to do after the event. It can’t be about just having a great time. That’s not a business model.”

Brown offers these tips for creating an offsite event that provides substantial ROI: Talking heads are only a good thing if we’re talking dance music. Giving speakers-even the CEO-the floor for what seems like forever is the primary way an event loses audience engagement. A two-minute, professionally designed, powerful video (that features the CEO and any guest speakers) has a far bigger impact. Everyone wins: key constituents, your organization and most importantly, the audience. Center stage, not centerpieces – make the most of your event spending.

The traditional stage at the front of the room arrangement can leave some tables feeling like they’re in Siberia. Consider placing the stage/podium in the center of the room, with surrounding screens overhead so that everyone has a great view. Shift and invest your budget where it makes the biggest impact. Change it up – present the unexpected. Holding an annual event? Even if the speakers are different from year to year, if the format’s the same, your target audience may regard attendance as a duty rather than a pleasure.

Consider introducing new elements each year. Invite your customers. Companies are increasingly bringing employees and vendors or employees and clients together during offsites. “I think people are looking for collaboration and new ideas-the crowdsourcing of events,” says Brown. “Bringing everyone together and seeing what happens helps build those relationships.” ‘Offsite’ is not a four-letter word. Smart managers are making meetings more meaningful. Every event should serve as a true business driver, says TCG Events’ Cassie Brown.

Original article in Sales & Marketing Management.