I'm a fan of lists so that I stay on track rather than trying to remember all things at the list minute. Prepping for user group meetings is no different, usually happens near the end of a hectic day at the office and forgetting something...well, that's not fun. Here's my current list and a couple comments on it:

• Ice chest (current meeting site has no refrigerator)

• Soda

• Water

• Ice

• Sign in sheets (we ask for first & last name, email address, and if first time attendee)

• Pens (for completing the sign in sheets & name tags)

• Sticky name tags

• Prizes (a mix of some good ones if we can find them, and usually a junk prize or two as well!)

• Projector (again, current location not the greatest, we have to bring a projector), power cord, video cable

• Cups

• Plates

• Napkins

• Business cards (with the user group contact info)

• Candy

• Signs directing attendees to the room

• Pizza (order 10 min prior to meeting start, more or less)

I package some of that stuff up and leave it ready to go, some has to be done closer to the last minute (removing the projector from the classroom at End to End Training and getting ice.

Our meeting is tonight and it should be interesting to see how attendance goes so close to the holiday break. We've got a few prizes to giveaway and Brian is presenting '12 Days of SSIS'. We'll also be getting some post event feedback on SQLSaturday.