Make your next business meeting the best one ever with top-level technology, flanked by the best food in Buffalo.

Anyone who has ever read Jason Fried’s Rework is well aware of his general disdain for meetings, mainly because they can often be a colossal interruption to workflow and productivity. That’s why, if you’re going to invest the time of your best people in a collective engagement in an enclosed, off-site setting, it’s absolutely vital that the return on that investment be as high possible.

Moreover, a successful off-site business meeting needs to meet several high bars: the facilities must support the subject matter, the presenters must be well-prepared, the agenda must meet specific objectives within a certain time, and the subject matter must keep the attention of the participants.

Often overlooked however, is the important role that setting, presentation, and quality menu items play in ensuring your best people avoid the classic attention crash that can transform that big meeting…into a big waste of time, money, and personnel.

The Setting Matters

The proper business meeting facilities involve several key considerations, and when it comes to downtown Buffalo restaurants that also host business meetings, nobody does it better than The 31 Club. Here’s why:

Configuration

When planning for your business meeting, one must be sure that the meeting room allows for configurations that are conducive to attendee engagement and participation.

Unless your session is focused on interaction in small groups where individual tables are useful, a “U” configuration ensures that every one of your participants has an unrestricted view of both the screen and the presenter.

The Johnson Room on the 31 Club’s private second floor is ideal for both configurations and accommodates up to 65 people in a sit-down setting with a full-service bar, while it’s first-floor counterpart, the Wine & Dine Room, offers a more intimate setting for up to 18 people. Both of our private meeting rooms allow conversations to be taken outdoors to either our first floor patio, or private second-floor balcony, weather permitting of course.

Lighting

There’s plenty of research linking outdated fluorescent lighting with attention issues, headache, fatigue, and general irritability. Obviously, these aren’t qualities you want associated with your key staffers during an important business event.

Both of the 31 Club’s private meeting rooms, The Wine & Dine and The Johnson Room, feature large windows that allow ample natural light, along with blackout draperies and full-spectrum, dimmable lighting that allow you to set just the right mood for your meeting or presentation.

This ensures that the quality of the lighting is as high as the quality of the meeting content.

Room temperature

Everyone has their own Goldilocks Zone when it comes to the ideal room temperature. Unfortunately, many hotels and conference centers don’t get that. One conference room may be like a meat locker, while the one just down the hall may leave attendees feeling like they are in a Bikram Yoga session versus of a business meeting. Neither situation is good when it comes to productivity.

Both of the 31 Club’s private meeting rooms feature a single-zone thermostat for precise room temperature control, ensuring your attendees are at the optimum comfort for your session.

Presentation

It can be challenging to maintain a productive work atmosphere when there are distractions from substandard AV systems, or if the catering presentation comes up short.

No matter which of the 31 Club’s private meeting rooms you choose, from the Wine & Dine Room’s HD LCD screen, to The Johnson Room’s big-screen HD projector with supporting sound system, you can be assured that your presentations will be delivered loud and with crystal clarity.

The Menu Matters

Smart choices in the food served at a meeting can make the time and the investment far more productive. Moreover, the proper use of brain-invigorating food means that as a meeting planner, you can set the stage for a highly productive business event. Research on this concept has been produced jointly by Craig Mason, executive chef at The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia and organizational psychologist Andrea Sullivan, in their paper: The Science of Food for Thought: Enhancing meetings through Food.

According to Sullivan, neurotransmitters “are the messenger chemicals that take messages across the neurons in the brain…different foods have different effects on those neurotransmitters.”

With that in mind, here are some things to consider for successful menu planning for your next upscale business meeting:

The “sugar rush” breakfast vs Better breakfast choices

The so-called “Continental Breakfast” may be all well and good for starters. But two hours in, you may find your attendees either nodding off or rushing for the coffee, tea, or caffeinated sodas for a boost. When planning the menu for your business meeting, always include options for complex carbs, healthy proteins, and healthy fats to carry your meeting participants energy levels through to lunch.

Options for your brunch catering can include fresh fruits, scrambled eggs with colby cheese and chives, cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce, baked sliced ham, applewood-smoked bacon (yes, bacon!), smoked salmon, and even chicken marsala.

Creative lunchtime choices to avoid the afternoon slowdowns

Like breakfast, a sub-standard lunch menu can lead to afternoon sleepies that set in around 2 – or 3 – o’clock. That’s not so good for a productive afternoon session.

Moreover, if you really want to impress your audience, let’s face it: a giant sub sliced into chunks or a greasy sheet pizza simply won’t do.

Just imagine how energized your attendees will be when they discover The 31 Club’s signature prime rib sandwich, lobster bisque, baked salmon, or vegetable risotto on the menu. Yes, we do have salads as well, and both our lunch tiers also feature dessert.

Transportation and parking

There are few things that are more aggravating than having to pay for parking and then walk blocks to get to your destination, especially when the snow is flying or it’s 90° outside. Showing up to an important meeting as either an icicle or a sweatball are equally unsavory and unpleasant.

In fact, one of the things we hear most frequently as being appreciated about business meetings held at the 31 Club are free parking in our private lot, in addition to our free shuttle service that accommodates up to 16 people per trip.

Either way, your meeting participants will find both their arrival and departure from the venue easy, convenient, comfortable, fast, and free!

The appreciation factor

There is arguably no better motivation to attend a meeting than, in addition to a compelling presentation and a bonding experience with one’s peers, your participants will be provided with a great variety of outstanding food, especially when it’s at a highly-regarded-and-well-reviewed Buffalo fine dining establishment.

A solid meal experience will have a great impact on everyone’s work ethic during your session, because it shows your attendees that you consider them an investment. Employees are more productive, creative, and ultimately successful when they enjoy their time at a work function, which also includes your offsite meetings.

So if you truly want to make a lasting, positive impression on the people who attend your high-profile meetings, make sure you’ve got the complete package in food, service, and facilities.

Make the simple choice and select The 31 Club for your next business meeting.

Nestled in downtown Buffalo’s historic Johnson Park, The 31 Club is consistently reviewed as one of the best restaurants in Buffalo. Featuring upscale meeting spaces, free parking, and some of the best food in Buffalo, which is served by an exceptional staff, The 31 Club is an ideal destination for your romantic dinner, a special brunch, happy hour, or a quick meal. Whether you choose to dine on our intimate outdoor patio or any of our well-appointed dining rooms, The 31 Club is where delightful memories are made.

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