Point out where participants can park. If transportation is provided, make sure participants know where to meet the driver when the meeting ends. Show them where they can make a telephone call or use the restroom. If childcare is available, introduce participants to the caretaker before the meeting and let them know they can visit their children any time during the meeting. This will help ease concerns for parents who are not used to being separated from their children and rely on extended family when they are apart.
Accepted practices vary from one culture to the next.
In some cultures, a handshake or direct eye contact with an authority figure is frowned upon. In other cultures, individuals stand just a little more than a foot apart when they speak to each other. Still other cultures see this as an invasion of personal space. Keep these cultural differences in mind as you greet participants and involve them in the discussion. Talk to a local cultural expert to learn what's acceptable and what's not.