We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box. 
- Robert Fulghum¹

What is a group?  Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary gives us many points of view including but not limited to:

1. two or more figures forming a complete unit in a composition
2. 
   a:  a number of individuals assembled together or having some unifying relationship
   b: an assemblage of objects regarded as a unit²

As group leaders we are challenged to find the best possible ways to meet the needs of the "complete unit" as well as the special needs of the "individuals assembled together".  In some cases we  will receive requests from individuals that are personal preferences.  In other cases these may actually be life threatening steps if they were not heeded for allergy precautions.  So how do we enhance the conference and retreat experience for all our guests while working within logistical and budgetary limits?

Find Out What's Important:

You may want to ask your attendees for feedback as a part of their initial registration form.  Some considerations could be prompting questions for any allergies, special dietary needs, special room needs such as showers accessible to wheelchairs, access to ramps, etc.  Some considerations could be ground level rooms for those with physical mobility issues and/or traveling with small children.

Use of your time may be influenced by your group members' preference for free time, independent recreation, team sports, relaxation, solitary reflective time, team building or themed social mixers.

It is also helpful to know the number of breakout sessions desired, room set up requests, special banquets or celebrations like birthdays that should be anticipated, as well as what special kinds of Audio Visual equipment may be needed for your speakers and breakout group leaders.

With this information in hand you can then communicate the desires to the property.  As your onsite meeting partner the Midwest Christian Retreats staff will then discuss options with you to determine the best solutions based on the availability and any projected expenses.

Survey Options:

You might also want to poll your members early to see who may be interested in attending a proposed event, best time of year, best time of the week, etc.  Web based forms may be a very affordable tool as you begin planning.  Learning of particular interests or special needs before the event can help you deliver optimum results as a Group Leader.  A hard copy of the survey form could be mailed to those members who do not have access to email.  The paper trail could then be keyed by a planning team member to allow an overall analysis of hte desires of the group.

Online Survey Tools:

Many electronic survey tools are available for you to consider such as InstantSurvey, Zoomerang, Constant Contact or SurveyMonkey.

Constant Contact offers "Listen Up" online surveys with 13 templates.  There is a 60 day free trial with suggestions for polling your attendees both before and after the event.  Included in the 13 categories is Event Planning & Feedback:  "Ask them what kind of event, seminar or training they want, or how they liked the one you hosted."³

Also included are tools for 7 types of questions to ask such as

• Single-Select Multiple Choice:  Limits customers to give only one answer.  These also work for simple yes-no-maybe questions, or if you want to know which choice they like best.

• Multi-Select Multiple Choice:  Allows respondents to select more than one answer option.  Questions usually say "Please select all that apply" to find out all the choices people like.

• Rate One Item on a Scale:  Asks customers to rate one item on a scale you specify -- usually 1 to 5- to measure satisfaction level, ease of use, or likelihood to do something.

• Rate Items on a Scale: Similar to the type above, customers rank several listed items based on a scale you specify.

• Rank Numerically: Customers use a numberical scale to indicate how important a list of specified items are to them.

• Open-ended Text: Sometimes known as the "essay question," this requires the respondent to type their answer in, and does not provide specific pre-set answer options.

• Collect Personal Information: Ask a respondent for information such as name, email address, physical address, and phone number.  Use this to contact them for later follow-up or to mail out rewards for survey participation.⁴
  
  

The Conference Services Teams of Midwest Christian Retreats stand ready to assist you with conference planning forms and suggestions to meet your needs.  It is our desire to help you color a beautiful picture through your retreat as you anticipate the needs of the individual "crayons within your box".

We truly take to heart the mandate to model Galatians 5:13 as we seek every day to "serve one another in love".  It is our greatest desire that your grup will create a masterpiece that enhances each of the colors within your particular box of crayons.

¹Crayon Quotes, August 31, 2009, Quotes My Kids Like, Weisler Team is on the GrOw, http://quotesmykidslike.wordpress.com/

²The first portion of the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary for the word Group, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/group

³Constant Contact "Listen Up" Survey Tool, http://search.constantcontact.com/survey/survey-creation/index.jsp

⁴Constant Contact "Seven Kinds of Questions to Ask" Survey Tool, http://search.constantcontact.com/survey/survey-templates/question-types.jsp