Governance

March 4, 2025 Published by Toronto and Area Chapter - By Mark DiPinto

Planning a Virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM): How to Get Started

From the Winter 2024 issue of CCI Toronto Condovoice Magazine.

In a virtual AGM, attendees can participate remotely through electronic means. This format mirrors that of an in-person annual general meeting and can be a rewarding experience for organizers and attendees alike

So you’ve set a date and plan to hold your upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) virtually. But you may be asking yourself, how do I get started?

Don’t worry you’re not alone and to help you out, here is a useful checklist to help ensure your upcoming meeting is a success!

1. Distribute Meeting Notices and Communicate with Members Early

Distributing meeting notices and communicating key information is the first and arguably the most important step in your virtual AGM journey. To ensure maximum participation and a seamless meeting from start to finish, you should always communicate key details about your upcoming meeting early and leverage technology to provide members with meeting notices, registration cards and other meeting materials on time.

2. Choose the Right Platform

As we know, a majority of organizations have unique requirements that must be accounted for during their AGMs. From needing to identify who’s in attendance to accounting for proxy votes submitted by owners ahead of the meeting and varying voter eligibility, these unique factors must be accounted for when conducting an AGM. This is why selecting an electronic voting and virtual meeting platform, which can identify individual attendees and accommodate unique voting requirements is integral to the success of your AGM.

3. Establish a Meeting Action Plan

Having a detailed meeting agenda and action plan that clearly outlines everyone’s role and responsibilities can make or break the success of your meeting.

A clear action plan and agenda that outlines key items such as who will be speaking and when, who is responsible for monitoring attendance and Q&A periods, and how vote will be administered and tabulated not only limits the room for errors and keeps things organized, but is integral to a seamless meeting experience for everyone involved.

4. Have your Tech in Check

Ensuring everyone is connected and has suitable tech is necessary for a smooth virtual AGM. For a seamless meeting experience, participants should:

• Make sure their device is fully charged, working and compatible with the platform you’re using before the meeting starts,
• Test their internet connectivity (if possible, have a hard-wired connection to the internet),
• Ensure they can access and are comfortable with the platform,
• Have a working camera, headphones and/or microphone if presenting,
• Hold a dress rehearsal – before the date of your meeting.

Commonly overlooked and significantly underrated, dress rehearsals aren’t only a great time to practice your meeting script but also an opportunity to iron out any technical difficulties. It also helps ensure everyone involved understands their role and responsibilities. A dry run increases the likelihood of a smooth meeting from start to finish.

5. Be Prepared to Resolve Technical Issues Quickly

Technical difficulties are bound to arise from time to time. However, failing to resolve these issues quickly can negatively impact the attendee experience and can be catastrophic to the success of your virtual AGM. This makes using reliable platforms and having the necessary personnel and resources readily available to solve any technical issues quickly is a must for any virtual AGM.

6. Hold a Debrief Meeting

It’s always recommended to hold a post-AGM debrief meeting. Taking the time to regroup post-AGM while everyone’s memories are still fresh is a great opportunity to provide feedback, discuss what could be done differently and gain insight on ways to improve your next meeting.

Whether you are hosting your first or hundredth meeting, being prepared is key to your success. Following these tips and tricks will not only help you be prepared but also set you up for success in your upcoming meeting.

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Mark DiPinto is the Marketing Manager at GetQuorum, an industry-leading provider of virtual meetings, electronic proxy, voting, and notice distribution services. Through his experience, Mark has acquired an in-depth understanding of the challenges communities face in regard to governance and how integral leveraging the right technology is to the success of owner meetings and condominium governance.