Entertainer/speaker Tom Antion, on Wednesday gave members of the Bermuda chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) a glimpse of the many ways to make any meeting more memorable and more successful.

The most important route to a successful meeting is to make sure the attendees are having fun, he said.

Hence the flutter fetti.

Three unsuspecting MPI members, thought not to be having enough fun at their monthly meeting held Tuesday at the Bombay Bicycle Club, were lined up and had flutter fetti fired at them. Flutter fetti is more spectacular than its smaller cousin confetti, because rather than just falling to the ground, the larger bits of paper float. It also can be easily vacuumed.

Add humour and fun to a meeting and the result will not only be increased attendee comfort but people will retain the information longer, Mr. Antion said.

"When you know there's going to be a lineup, try a magician. If people have to wait in line for 20 minutes they might start thinking about everything that's wrong with the meeting.

"If people enjoy the meeting you will be more valuable. You can get the fun started from the minute your guests pull into the parking lot,'' he said.

"Everybody goes to meetings and calls them a waste of time, you (MPI members) can help make that not happen.'' Many of the ideas need not be expensive, all that is needed is some imagination, he said.

One of the easiest is to make sure seating is a semi-circle, or theatre style, format. Round tables, he said, are the worst. Always address distractions.

He described one opening he prepared requiring an all-American theme for which he turned the lights low and used audio effects. He chose the sound of a rocket taking off, then JFK's voice, then some music, "Don't Bring Me Down'' by the Electric Light Orchestra, total cost, $5.

"You can do massively big things on practically no budget, use you're creativity.'' Mr. Antion has spoke on several occasions at various venues, most significantly, he was asked to speak at the 1995 National Speakers Association Convention in Minneapolis.

In 1994, he was chosen to represent the Washington, D.C. area at the National Speakers Association annual convention.

Based out of Maryland, he has been the featured presenter at a Malaysian Secretaries' Congregation in Bali and at a MPI retreat in Ottawa.

He is a member of MPI, the National Speakers Association and the president of the National Capital Speakers Association.

As well as his speaking engagements and seminars, Mr. Antion has created a video and audio training tapes and his new book Wake'em Up! Business Presentations, is due out soon.

The book is a guide to how to use humour and other professional techniques to create successful business presentations.

In the book's introduction, Mr. Antion writes that "the value of humour and excitement is now being recognised as a legitimate tool for making your business and personal life better.''