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Venue Sourcing Booster Shot
Stakeholders in your company have asked you to “shake it up” and basically start from scratch. Or they hit you with the lackluster two-word combo, “Be creative.” Whether you’re planning your first off-site meeting or your 10th complex conference, finding (and securing) the perfect destination and venue can be traumatic. Here are six steps to help make the venue sourcing process more streamlined and (gasp) enjoyable.
Summary
Picking the Best Destination →
Choosing the Perfect Venue →
Writing the Impeccable RFP →
Evaluating Hotel Proposals →
Making the Most of Your Site Visit →
Negotiating with Hotels →
1. Picking the Best Destination
Before you think about the venue itself, think big picture and decide on a destination. Identify a destination that will suit your organization’s needs and attendees’ wants and expectations. This is an important initial step because the venue’s destination creates the first impression for attendees. Choosing Las Vegas over DC or Chicago over Orlando tells attendees what kind of experience they should expect. Will attendees love it? How convenient is transportation? Are there other cities or regions that can better suit everyone’s needs? With so many wonderful
countries, cities, and venues to choose from
, this selection process is easier said than done. The narrowing process, however necessary, can quickly become overwhelming. Ultimately, you need to choose a destination that meets your group dynamics and will promote maximum attendee satisfaction.
2. Choosing the Perfect Venue
Once you choose your destination, follow a series of filters to select a venue. Do you want a luxury hotel or an economy? Do you want to be close to an airport or downtown? Do you need a boutique hotel because you’re looking for something unique or will a normal hotel suffice? Make sure to carefully
review your meeting objections and requirements
in order to narrow down your options. If you are like most meeting professionals, you collect convention and conference surveys from attendees at the end of each meeting to gather feedback about what worked and what did not. Now is the time to pull up those results. Lastly, remember there is an abundance of free resources available to help you make meaningful and successful decisions while planning an event. These resources include:
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Convention and Visitors’ Bureaus
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The Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) blog
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Meeting Professionals International (MIP)
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The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)
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The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
3. Writing the Impeccable RFP
You’ve narrowed down your venue selection, and it’s time to submit your RFPs and see what kind of responses flow in. Whether you write your own or rely on an
eRFP technology
, this step is critical because while you’re paying a hotel to host your meeting or event, it’s still a two-way street: hotels have to complete a proposal in return. Be sure to include why you are issuing the RFP and your event objectives. Also make sure to be transparent in sharing past experiences, so they can better address any concerns or special requests you may have. It’s important to be as granular as possible (ie. dates, meeting space requirements, budget guideline, deadlines, etc.). Don’t forget to give the venue a profile of your attendee. Who are they? Will they be bringing a spouse or guest? Make sure the venue is as familiar about your attendees as you are.
4. Evaluating Hotel Proposals
If you don’t use an eRFP tool, hotel proposals can come in a myriad of forms – with some easier to read than others. That’s why we recommend using a digital solution that ensures hotels send proposals that are properly formatted to help you compare them side-by-side. Create an assessment criteria spreadsheet including a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves. Weigh each factor. Free Wi-Fi may rank higher thank the hotel’s location to restaurants and attractions. Next, you will need to evaluate the meeting space (since this is where a high percentage of your attendees’ time will be spent). Gauge the responsiveness of the venue to anticipate how long it takes to get a response. This will paint a realistic picture of how the relationship will be throughout the process. Lastly, use word-of-mouth to your advantage and talk to other planners who have used the same venue.
5. Making the Most of Your Site Visit
Now, the fun part. You’ve whittled down your selection to two or three cities with two to five venues each. Review your findings with your management teams, since you don’t want to waste your time on a location that your organization won’t consider. Once the onsite visits are scheduled, you’ll want to plan on spending a half day to a night at each venue to get a feel for the full experience. Take detailed notes throughout the trip when they’re fresh in your mind. Make sure to meet with your team and share your notes so everyone can agree on ranking the venues.
6. Negotiating with Hotels
For most planners, negotiating with a hotel is the hardest part of the sourcing process. Hoteliers negotiate for a living, so they come to the table prepared. You’ll have to do your homework. Remember you have what they want (occupied guests rooms, meeting space, and food and beverage revenue). If possible, do your negotiations in person or via video chat. Before anything, you’ll want to discuss the total economic value your meeting with provide the hotel and destination. Then you’ll want to move forward by discussing the Big 4 concession areas: (1) sleeping room rates, (2) food and beverage, (3) meeting space, and (4) technology. There will always be other concerns when choosing the perfect venue, but stay focused on yours and your attendees’ needs for the best possible outcome.
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