Monday, January 30, 2012

Forget 5 diamonds, this resort wows with a 5 Crystal Experience


With over 10,000 square feet of meeting space; room for groups of up to 250, 149 sleeping rooms, three spectacular penthouse suites, and unparalleled service, this resort should be on everyone’s list looking at hosting a meeting in British Columbia, Canada. Read all about this fabulous property in the EventInterface Resource Blog at  http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=25


Not down and certainly not out in Paris: tales from a January site inspection.

Behind me a guitar was being tuned. The tuner then addressed the crowd and launched into the Rod Stewart version of “Sailing”. He was truly terrible and gave the lie to Tanenbaum’s thesis that music on the underground leads to a decrease in crime. I, for one, harboured dark violent thoughts and stared fixedly at my iphone screen as he sought compensation, sticking a to-go cup in my face. I was back in Paris, looking forward to immersing myself in one of the great cities of the world. This musical loser on the rather damp and dirty RER B from CDG to Gare du Nord was raining heavily on my parade.

The SMS message from my colleague told me they were already at O Chateau so after a quick shower to blitz the negative residue of bad singing on the metro I found myself in the basement of a rather cool building set out for a lesson in wine tasting.  A large map of France with the wine regions clearly marked on it was slightly right of centre stage. Slightly left of centre stage was the youngest, prettiest teacher I’ve ever seen. In the palm of her hand she had a half filled Champagne flute and just about everybody else in the room. For 2 hours Charlotte challenged, charmed and cajoled, energized, educated and entertained.  A thoroughly convivial part-Anglophone, part-Francophone table of 10 learned, laughed and lapped it all up like eager, hungry kittens. The food was fantastic – carpaccio of scallop, breast of duck and traditional galette – simple, no fuss, fresh presentations – with perfect pairings from the Loire, Bordeaux and Languedoc.

The early morning walk to our meeting point on Rue de Castiglione where the rather tasty Westin Paris Vendome is located allowed us to synchronize with the energetic rhythm of the Parisian walkways in this post-Christmas period. Stunning festive decorations were still in place – Parisians don’t do tacky – and the January sales gave an extra air of excited anticipation to the streets. You soon notice the differences, the things that make this city uniquely Paris, exclusively French. Like the small, local, specialist stores that still abound and prosper around the city. The proprietors who diligently sweep the pavements in front of their shops and greet regular customers with handshakes. The studied informality of the young men in 3/4 jackets, collars up, scarves tied loosely, wearing narrow tapered jeans and hard leather pointed shoes. The women that never try to look like teenagers with that femme fatale look, pouting lips and immaculate couture.

A day on the outskirts of Paris in search of the best golf challenges yielded 2 satisfactory results. The relatively new, private, Jack Nicklaus designed Paris International – a typical Nicklaus parkland the flows very naturally through the rolling terrain – and the older Golf National, near Versailles, which offers 3 distinct golf challenges and is a Ryder Cup candidate for 2018.  But, unlike Ireland or Scotland, Paris is not really about the golf and the afternoon drew to a lovely conclusion at the recently opened Mandarin Oriental Paris over very expensive drinks at the bar which overlooks a magnificent secluded courtyard

My colleague, the inimitable, ubiquitous Philippe Fournier, Managing Director of MCI’s extensive organisation in France, invited me to attend the MCI Annual Celebration at the Museum of Fairground Arts, also a candidate venue for the US incentive programme we were planning. When I arrived at nightfall the venue looked spectacular with accent lighting picking out the carnival masks displayed on either side of the entrance. You enter this magical universe of light and shade, of rich red velvets and dark mahogany woods and are transported back to childhood wonder where the only limit is your own imagination.

Charcoal brassieres threw hungry flames into the night in preparation for the Cote du Boeuf, the signature serving for the evening’s repast. The MCI and Ovation crews, following an afternoon of seminars and presentations, including a talk for the troops from CEO Sebastien Tondeur, were in fine fettle enjoying the excellent buffet planned by HR director Laure Vitte, the wonderful funfair rides and games and the mesmeric beat of the coolest French club anthems.

Created by antiquarian Jean Paul Favand and opened as a private museum and venue space in 1996, the facility contains funfair objects from 1850-1950 including amusement rides, fair stalls and well over 1000 carnival games organised around 3 thematic areas – The Venetian Lounge, The Marvellous Theatre and the Fairground Art Museum. Each area is stand alone or, as explained to me by MCI Deputy MD, Michael Cleva, can interconnect with the other areas to generate a total event capacity of over 3000.

I was particularly looking forward to our visit to the Palace at Versailles. Holding your Gala at Versailles has, for many years, been the ultimate achievement for meeting planners as, allegedly, you deal with an extraordinary number of variables from jaw dropping budgets to mind numbing bureaucracy. As it happens the budgets are manageable if you have sufficient headcount to amortise your costs and the behind the bureaucracy are real beating hearts seeking love and recognition – if you invest in the relationships, as my colleagues at MCI have done, most doors can be opened!

We looked at two options for our Gala celebration both preceded by private visits of the Palace – the Orangerie and the Salle de Bataille. Built over a 47 year period during the long Reign of Louis XVI the Palace is a series of stunning, interconnecting salons. These rooms are sumptuously decorated in high style with wall and ceiling murals by Baroque luminaries such as Paolo Veronese and culminate with the astonishing, historically resonant, Hall of Mirrors which presents commanding views of the formal gardens and canals. For private events MCI customarily arranges for musicians in period costume to play Bach and Mozart as guests meander through the rooms. An evening at Versailles is a motivational experience par excellence offering guests a unique privatised immersion in the frivolous decadence of the era of the Sun King.

My mind, still harbouring nostalgic images of 17th century France, was propelled quickly into the frenzy of the 21st century as I alighted the luxury mini-coach and started to negotiate the labyrinth that is Gare du Nord. RER B was relatively quiet as it trundled back to CDG until between stations a figure suddenly pushed through the door from the adjacent carriage. This time there was no guitar. Instead, emanating from a ghastly portable device, surrounded by an equally ghastly reverb, were the opening bars of a song we have all come to associate with late night hotel bars that serve outrageously priced drink: “Feelings …”

- Padraic Gilligan, VP Ovation Global DMC and VP Industry Relations, MCI

To see the photographs associated with this story, see http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=24

Social media and events. This week’s tips by Al Wynant, CEO of EventInterface.

This week’s contribution is by Al Wynant, CEO of EventInterface.



MY TOP 5 SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS:

1. Know your audience! Are they Facebook and Twitter users? Are they using social media more on a professional level, using LinkedIn may be a better solution? Use the solution favored by your audience.


2. Develop meaningful content and give followers a reason to come back and read your posts, even repost your messages to their networks.


3. Actively recruit people to “like” or “follow” your page. It doesn’t matter if you post and no one follows your posts. I recall one client who continually wanted to develop messages for their conference’s social media campaign. They spend so much time on the messaging and were flabbergasted by the lack of results. What they neglected to do was promote the existence of the page to their 400+ members. They had a total of four followers, of which two were the page admins.


4. Use your social media to drive people back to your site. Don’t give away the whole story. Encourage them to click through to your site.


5. Keep your company or event page professional. This is a page to share event news and updates, generate excitement, not a place to share personal stuff.


HOW TO DEFINE THE SUCCESS OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY:


1. Get a Google Analytics number, free at
http://www.google.com/analytics  and track the traffic coming to your site from your social outlets.

2. Ask your attendees in surveys how they heard about your event/meeting.


3. We’ve distributed special registration promotions via social media and tracked registration numbers and traffic post-promotion.


4. Track page activity by looking at the stats or insights. Are your “likes” increasing, are people sharing your stories and messaging?


Questions about this story? Email Al Wynant by
clicking here.

Would you like to share your top social media tips? Click here to send us a message and we may include them in a future post.

For more information about EventInterface visit our website.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Hero or Villain? The true identity of the DMC!

Understanding what Destination Management Companies do. A great article by Padraic Gilligan of Ovation Global DMC. Read all about it at http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=21

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Europe's Best Kept Secret

The inhabitants of this city have always been aware of it, and now the rest of the world is discovering this bustling city. It ranked third on the list of National Geographic Traveler Magazine’s 109 most authentic destinations worldwide. We think this city should be considered by any meeting planner wanting to host a meeting or conference in Europe. Read all about it in the EventInterface Resource Blog.http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=18


Here are a few fabulous pictures of this city. Can you guess?





Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Social Media and Events - Maria Lago

We just posted the next submission in our Resource Blog Series on how planners around the world use and evaluate their social media campaigns. This submission is by Maria Lago, President of Three/Events & PR in Westchester, NY. Read all about Maria’s social media advice at http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=16.


Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Free "Plan and Manage Events like a Pro" online workshop series

Learn how to plan and manage events like a pro by participating in this complimentary series of online workshops, hosted February 7 through March 13, 2012, and brought to you by EventInterface.  Click below for more information and to register. Limited availability per workshop!

Each interactive online workshop will last for one-and-a-half hours. You will learn from examples, receive helpful hints and tips, and course materials. Sessions focus on developing planning timelines, committees and budgets. We will teach you how to find and negotiate with vendors and understand vendor contracts. You will learn how to develop and sell sponsorships, and market your event. We will talk about new technologies and how to use them in the management of your events. These workshops are ideally suited to individuals planning events or meetings for associations, nonprofits and colleges.  



Your presenter, Al Wynant, EventInterface CEO, brings 21 years of international event and meeting management experience to the table. He has planned events and meetings for 50 to 125,000 attendees in the United States and Europe, and has worked with nonprofit, association and corporate clients on a wide variety of projects

Click here for more information and to register. Questions? Click here to contact us.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Social Media and Events - Cas McCullough

We have asked planners around the world to share their top social media advice, and how they evaluate the success of their campaigns. This EventInterface Resource Blog series will highlight their answers. Read the first submission by Cas McCullough by following the link: http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=14

How do more than 500 old bags support a good cause?

More than 500 old bags supporting a great cause. Read all about this fabulous event at: http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=15. Pictures and story courtesy of AZRedBook.com.



Engage your event committee

Carly Cylinder of Flour LA




If you are looking to engage your event committee, involve them in the creative process, you should consider this activity. Read all about it on the EventInterface Resource Blog by following the link:http://www.eventinterface.com/blog-article?id=13

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Fire, snow and explosions galore

Not a week goes by without at least one person reaching out, asking if we know about a unique and fun team building activity. Do we know about a cool venue, something totally different? Just recently we came across a place that seems to be all of that and more. 


Stunt Ranch, located in Austin, TX is an exciting place where the science of movie special effects combines with an event venue and lots of opportunities for team building and incentive fun. It was founded by Steve Wolf who has been producing film and TV for 25 years. Wolf was the stunt coordinator for MTV's Call to Greatness, for whom he set two world records, and for NBC's Three Wishes. He did the special effects for James Cameron's Expedition Bismarck, and John Singleton's Hustle & Flow.

His feature films include The Firm, Three Men and a Baby, Do the Right Thing, The Last Boy Scout, The Client, The Jungle Book, and Cast Away. His TV credits include work on All My Children, Law & Order, America's Most Wanted, Rescue 911, The David Letterman Show, and Whitney Houston's music videos.

Steve and his team bring that background to Stunt Ranch and they turn your team’s visit into a unique and unforgettable experience. Your team will be talking about this for months to come.



PROGRAMS

Stunt Ranch provides a series of immersing transformational experiences designed to promote knowledge, skill, confidence, creativity, fitness and optimism. From the use of zip lines to huge fireball explosions, there is something for everyone.


The facility can also host up to 2,500 guests under the stars, and dazzle them with movie magic, from pyrotechnics displays to mountains of snow and everything in between. Event planners are free to use their own caterers. The company’s website showcases all activities and guidelines for participating. 

Stunt Ranch does not offer overnight accommodations, but the facility is a quick drive away from a variety of great Austin properties. 
For more information, or to book an activity, visit the Stunt Ranch Website.

- Al Wynant

Photographs courtesy of Stunt Ranch



Thursday, January 5, 2012

Cutting-edge technology, Eco-friendly and classic design

Do you want an awesome combination of cutting-edge technology, eco-friendly amenities, and classic design? The Bently Reserve Conference Center in San Francisco boasts a truly versatile collection of spaces that can accommodate almost any meeting. Combined with the world-famous Banking Hall, it’s a stunning venue for both conferences and private gatherings. The Bently has been used by IBM, Google, Rainforest Action Network, and Ronald McDonald House amongst many others. 

The conference center offers state-of-the-art connectivity, high-definition audio, on-demand video capture, and the latest digital videoconferencing equipment. High-speed Wi-Fi internet access is available throughout the Conference Center, while a highly secure T1 internet connection is routed through a completely segregated network for speed and security. To fully optimize the audio/visual experience, a variety of custom equipment packages are available.


HISTORY




Included in the National Register of Historic Places, The Bently Reserve serves as a monument to San Francisco's vast architectural history. Built by celebrated architect George W. Kelham in 1924, it combines contemporary San Francisco style with a cherished and colorful past. Featuring a lavish mural in the lobby by artist Jules Guerin, the spirit and style of The Bently Reserve is nothing short of legendary.


MEETING SPACES




The Banking Hall, the Bently’s impressive main hall offers 8,045 square feet of space and can host 650 guests reception style, 400 seated, 200 classroom, 300 theatre style.
The Apollo Boardroom seats 22 boardroom style.
The Port, Starboard and Euphemia Boardrooms seat 10 each boardroom style.
The Cordova Boardroom accommodates up to 32 guests.
The Farallon Room can host 68 boardroom style.
The Gateway Room accommodates up to 87 guests.
The Conference Center Lounge, at 1,525 square feet can accommodate up to 150 guests.




NEARBY HOTELS
As a conference center, the Reserve doesn’t offer sleeping rooms; luckily some world-class hotels are nearby. Club Quarters, less than 500 feet away offers regular rooms to suites with kitchenettes. The Omni San Francisco , Mandarin Oriental, Huntington San Francisco, Fairmont Hotel and the Palace Hotel all are less than one mile, or within walking-distance from the Bently.

GETTING THERE
Transportation from San Francisco International Airport is quick and convenient, as the Reserve is only 20 minutes (15 miles) north of the airport. Shuttles, taxicabs, and public transportation are among the available options traveling to and from the airport. When in the city, public transportation to the Reserve is abundant and affordable, including both BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) shuttles and MUNI cable cars nearby. The BART Embarcadero Station at 298 Market Street is located only 1/2 mile from the Reserve. From there, a short walk or a quick cab ride takes you right to our doorstep. The MUNI (San Francisco Municipal Railway) operates 80 routes throughout San Francisco with stops within 2 blocks of 90% of all residences in the city. There are numerous MUNI lines that stop at various points in the Financial District and Downtown San Francisco, with dozens of routes servicing nearby neighborhoods.
Parking is available at the Embarcadero Center One, located right across the street from The Bently.

BOOK IT FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING
Contact Vivian Perez, Event and Sales Manager at 415-294-2226 or 1-800-438-1201 or visit The Bently website here.

- Al Wynant

Photographs by: 
1st and 3rd photograph by Sherman Chu
all other photographs by The Bently Reserve Conference Center








Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Drums anyone?

As planners we have pondered for hours on how to tell stories to our event attendees. How can we place our attendees in the shoes of the people an event benefits, while still offering our guests a fabulous time? The December 2011 Women & Philanthropy Holiday Luncheon in Scottsdale, AZ did a marvelous job doing just that.
The Dec. 13 Women & Philanthropy Holiday Luncheon featured the music therapy program in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts School of Music. The theme was Celebrate the Joy of Community. The reception featured student musicians playing original works, many of which are used in real-world music therapy settings.
Co-chair Sybil Francis welcomed members and guests, and co-chair Cindy Watts introduced the music therapy program. Barbara Crowe, director of the program for the past 30 years, shared some of its history at ASU, information about current brain research that supports the efficacy of music therapy and insights into the diverse education that music therapy students receive at ASU. Julie Murillo, a music therapist and graduate of ASU’s program, followed with two examples of how she used blues music in two recent clinical interventions. Robin Rio, director of the ASU Music Therapy Clinic, then gave a virtual tour of the clinic.
The capstone experience of the luncheon was a guided drum circle led by Barbara Crowe. Every guest at the luncheon stood up and selected an instrument. Barbara instructed guests to follow the mother drumbeat and make their own music. The room filled with the joyful sound of drums, tambourines, shakers and bells.
- C. Miller. 

Article and photograph courtesy of AZRedBook. Click here for more pictures of the luncheon.

For more stories, resources and info about Event Interface, visit EventInterface.com.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Tax-free gifts for your events

It’s a few weeks before your event and suddenly you realize you haven’t really thought about gifts for your VIPs, speakers and special guests. Should you run to your usual chotsky provider? Perhaps visit your local mall and one of those customizable gift stores? How about finding meaningful gifts that also help local organizations?

I can always tell when someone is excited about a gift. They don’t really expect it, but when extra thought is put into selecting it, they genuinely appreciate the gesture. You can insure they will remember your event and your city. It’s easy to give your speakers the same folio, or thumb drive, or t-shirt, or water bottle everyone else is receiving at your event. Your guests have seen it before and probably can’t tell them apart. 

As a speaker I used to put them in a box when getting home, and donated them en masse to a local nonprofit. There are two gifts however I treasure to this date. They weren’t more expensive than the standard stuff, there was just more thought put into it, and reflected the city I traveled to at the time. One is a small bronze wind-bell, handcrafted at Arcosanti, given to me at a Scottsdale event. It’s a beautiful little piece of art that reminds me of a great conference and people. The other was a small glass paperweight designed by a local artist and specifically selected for me. The planner knew I enjoyed glass art. I was impressed by the research of the planner and the very thoughtful token of appreciation.

I love putting thought into gifts for special guests, and at the same time make a positive contribution to my community. It’s super easy. When looking for gifts, consider visiting the gift stores at your local museums and parks. Most carry amazingly beautiful and affordable gifts created by local artists, and at many there is no sales tax. Your event budget gets a break, and at the same time you are helping your local community. 

Some fun examples from the Phoenix Art Museum Store.



For more stories and resources, visit EventInterface.com.

- Al Wynant

Hotel negotiations 101

On many occasions volunteers are given the responsibility to plan a meeting or event. They have little or no experience, no hotel relationships or negotiation experience, and no budget to hire a professional planner. Unfortunately this can cost an agency dearly.

Volunteer planners sign contracts not fully understanding the repercussions to the organization they represent. As a planner with more than 20 years of international experience I have seen agencies lose thousands of dollars by poorly negotiated contracts. Great hotel contracts won’t save your event if it isn’t planned and marketed well, but it will start the planning process on a solid foundation.

Hotel sales staff ought to play an educational role with these volunteer planners; however the opportunity of a long-term relationship can get thrown out with the bathwater in favor of a quick contract, allowing a sales person to meet monthly sales goals. Smart sales people will help volunteer planners negotiate a fair contract. This will create a win-win for both parties, with the planner having a sound contract and the hotel establishing a long-term relationship and a possibility of future business. Sadly, not all hotel sales people fall into the last category.

This post outlines helpful tips to make your negotiations with hotels, resorts and venues a breeze, especially for volunteer planners. Keep these in mind as you plan for your event and start the negotiation process. 
THEY OWE ME!

I can’t recall how many times I have heard volunteer planners at nonprofit agencies state that the hotel or resort in their town should donate to their event. We’re not talking about donating a weekend stay for the silent auction. They expect the hotel to donate the full cost of the event. “We’re doing good in the community, and they should support that.” I cringe each time someone makes this statement. 

First thing to remember is that hotels are businesses and can’t afford to do it all for free, as a matter of fact, they don’t owe you anything. Keep that in mind as you start the negotiation process. It never hurts to ask for some concessions, but you’ll have greater success asking for realistic discounts vs. the expectation to get it all for free. After all, don’t you want to be taken seriously as a planner? 

WHERE TO BEGIN?

There are a variety of services to help you at no cost. Here at EventInterface we offer a 
free RFP (Request for Proposal) tool. Complete the application and we will get you a proposals based on your requirements. We include all options, not just members or hotels who advertise (we don’t have those). You get the best options, and best of all, it’s free! It works if you are considering one location, multiple cities but haven’t made up your mind, and even internationally.
A Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is another great resource. Most offer a free RFP tool. You complete the application and the CVB will distribute your request to their membership (look for the meeting planner tab on their home page). It’s a great service that may offer additional benefits. The negative is that most only include properties who are members of the organization, and you may miss out on non-member and equally qualified hotels and venues. If you are considering multiple cities, you have to reach out to each city’s CVB. CVBs will only help if you are looking for an event associated with room nights.

KNOW WHAT YOU NEED

Before reaching out, know all the facts about your event. The more accurate your event information, the more precise the proposals from hotels will be. Many of the details may not be known at this stage, but some key information is crucial in the proposal process. 

Present the hotel with your desired dates and times, and provide back-up dates if possible. Being flexible on dates can help you get better prices. 

Let the hotel know your event times, but also if you need time prior to the event for set-up or post-event for strike. 

What type event are you putting on? Is it a conference, fundraising dinner, training? Some properties have many ballrooms and some may be better suited to a conference than a fundraising dinner. Will you have exhibitors, a general session or silent auction? Will you need an onsite office, storage? Be as specific as you can about your needs, both space wise and programmatically. 

How many people do you expect? What is the arrival pattern? For dinner events, everyone may arrive closely together. For a conference, arrivals may happen over a longer period. This helps the hotel with staffing the front drive and at the reception desk, and insures great service to you and your attendees. 

What types of meals do you plan on serving? You don’t need to know what you will serve, more the types of meals. Do you have a continental buffet style breakfast or sit down meal, banquet dinner, luncheon with speaker or box lunch. This will give the hotel a better picture of possible revenue associated with the event and may give you more negotiation room in other areas. Hotel may not charge you a ballroom rental if you meet a certain food and beverage minimum. 

What type of audio visual equipment and IT services will you need (more on that later)?

Will you need sleeping rooms? How many room nights? How many rooms will you need on peak night? Will you need rooms before and after the event? Do you require regular rooms, suite upgrades, the Presidential Suite? What is the room price your attendees are comfortable paying?

Has this event been produced before? If so, give historical information on the event.

What is your proposal deadline? How long will it take you to decide? When is the expected contract signing date?

How would you like to receive proposals from the hotels? Do you prefer email, fax or mail? Many hotels now use a system for planners to go online and view proposals. If your email system throws out large sized emails you may want to share that too. Hotels love to include pictures and menus with proposals, at times making emails larger than 10MB.  I always tell hotels to keep the info to what is asked in the proposal and not to include additional information. You can see pictures at the hotel’s website. Menus are another matter I discuss further down the planning process. As a planner I can be rather strict. If a hotel can’t follow simple RFP instructions I don’t trust them with my business.

WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET?

Be as honest as possible when talking money with the hotel. As a planner coming in after the RFPs have been sent out, I have had to deal with a few distressed clients who received “outrageous” hotel proposals, with room costs at hundreds more than their attendees could afford. Obviously something went wrong in the process. 


If you know your attendees’ budget is $150 on average for a hotel room, you should not send your request for proposals to hotels whose rooms run significantly higher than that. It’s unlikely the property will be able to meet that expectation. Share a price range your attendees are comfortable with.

Same counts for F&B (Food and Beverage). If you know you have a $75 all-inclusive budget (includes meal, tax and service) for a dinner event, let the hotel know. Your sales person will be able to work with the banquet department on suggestions, and give you a much better proposal. Ok, maybe let them know you have $68 to give yourself a bit of a buffer.  As a planner I have received significantly better proposals being open with the hotel about budget. It also saves time and energy.

FORGET THE MENUS

Hotels love to send extensive menus alongside their proposals. To be blunt, as a planner, if you’ve seen one, you have seen them all. Many times these menus don’t meet my needs, budgets or seem downright boring. If you want great food at your event, let the hotel know your budget, style of food or theme you’re looking for, and let the Chef do his or her magic. The Chef can work with local and in-season ingredients keeping cost down, but still offer an amazing experience to your attendees.  

TIME TO PLAY POKER!

There are many ways to save money for you and your attendees at your event. 

Negotiate for complimentary use of a ballroom or meeting space if you meet a certain food and beverage minimum. Some hotels will include a rental fee for their facilities in the proposal. You can negotiate out of this fee most of the time. Some hotels don’t charge a fee.

Certain hotels may require you to use the in-house AV provider. Not doing so may result in the hotel charging you a fee to bring in an outside provider. Fees can be a flat fee, an electrical hook-up fee, a fee to cover technical support. These fees have started popping up more and more during a weak economy. You can successfully negotiate out of these fees! Do you think a hotel will risk losing an event over a $500 or $1,000 fee? Bringing in an outside AV provider will also save you on the service charge hotels add onto everything.  It’s still important to get a handful of quotes from outside providers, and invite the hotel AV department to bid as well. 

If you are using room nights, ask to receive a certain number of nights for free. 1 to 50 is pretty standard, but 1 to 40 can easily be negotiated. This means that if your attendees book a total of 50 room nights you get one room night free. Use these for staff, speakers, and volunteers working the event. If you conference hosts 350 attendees over a three night period, you may have as many as 1050 room nights, this gives you 21 room nights for free or enough rooms for seven for the duration of the conference.

The $150 a night guest room you advertise for your attendees can significantly increase in cost of if you add taxes, resort and parking fees. It’s not unheard of to see guestroom cost increase by one third. Resort fees are common place. Many hotels will waive or heavily discount resort fees for your event attendees when asked.  Some hotels may charge as much as $35 a night, sometimes even more. Overnight parking fees can be waived also. Make sure you understand what you resort fee covers.  

Attrition can be negotiated also. Some hotels will offer 10% attrition in their proposals. You can ask for a higher percentage. 20% is common, but we’ve seen much higher. Attrition is the allowance a hotel gives you to not sell a number of room nights without a penalty. For example: If you have contracted for 100 room nights and your attrition is 10%, then you must sell 90 room nights to avoid a penalty. If you were to sell only 80 room nights, as the organizer you would be responsible to pay for 10 room nights to meet the 90 contracted room nights.

UNDERSTANDING CONTRACTS

When all is negotiated ask the hotel of your choice to prepare a contract. It is vitally important that you review the contract in detail upon receipt. What has been negotiated may not always translate from the sales person to the administrative person preparing the document. Review contact details, deadlines, and all other items that have been negotiated. Review cancellation and attrition in detail. Make sure all the right dates are listed and right amounts are included. If you discover an error (rarely do I not), reach out to your sales contact and have the correction made. Only sign when you are 100% satisfied with the document. 

Unfortunately one can’t always foresee certain situations that may result in your event having fewer attendees than expected, or less hotel rooms reserved than contracted for. Once a contract has been signed, hotels are pretty strict in following them to the letter. Unless you can guarantee future business, rarely will a hotel change the terms of a contract. Avoid this by knowing your event and building in enough safeties to protect your agency. 

QUESTIONS?

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about this post or want to share any of your experiences related to negotiating hotel contracts, good or bad. We may use them as an example in a future post.  Drop us a note by clicking here.

ABOUT AL WYNANT

Al has more than 20 years of international event and meeting planning experience. He has planned events for 20 to 125,000 in six countries on two continents. As CEO of EventInterface he now focuses on providing technology services to planners.

Fabulous parties in Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona has many world-class philanthropic and social events. The premier website for these community events features coverage of black-tie and social fundraising events, and is an amazing resource for ideas with stories and photographs.
Over the last 18 years, AZredbook.com has worked to support and promote the individuals and organizations that improve the quality of life in Phoenix and surrounding communities. 

Although the site wasn't intended to be a resource to planners, the coverage of black-tie and fundraising events is sure becoming a first-class source of ideas. Recent events covered were the Stars of the Season, and The Concert & The Encore.

Stars of the Season was a party to benefit the Pediatric Rehabilitation Center at Cardon Children's Medical Center set to a Brazilian beat with "A Night in Rio". The "living red carpet" pictured here greeted guests as they arrived. Read all about this event


The Concert & The Encore benefitted the Phoenix Symphony.  Aventura prepared the dinner, which was served at tables beautifully designed by Avant-Garde. Towering vases held three colors of orange roses, green hanging amaranthus and orange alstroemeria, pictured on the previous page. Read all about this event
To view more event coverage, an up-to-date calendar of community events, listings of nonprofit organizations, profiles of community leaders, wellness resources, a guide to cultural and leisure events, and the latest trends in fashion, beauty and design, visit, or even better, bookmark AZredbook.com.

Sources for this article: AZredbook.com.
- Al Wynant