The right measure of the degree of success of negotiations with hotels regarding events, conferences and meetings, often measured in the depth of the negotiations, and ensure that as many details as possible to anticipate and pre-arranged. In my more than three decades as a professional event planner and negotiator, I found that organizations that are prepared in advance, understand their needs, to articulate them fully up-front hotels, and the negotiators have to maintain their integrity at all times, always the best long-term results. Many inexperienced negotiators do not understand the need to prioritize their needs, and often do not take into account many aspects that will have potential impact on the success and sustainability of the event. When it is in talks with hotels, some of the items that should be thought about and negotiated, include: guest rooms, food and beverage, audio visual needs / requirements, service charges / fees, comps, and priorities. In addition, when negotiating, it is necessary to use a win-win philosophy, to maximize results for all concerned.
First Will this event require the provision of a guest room? Will the organization pay for the room or the participants? What is a realistic expectation for hotel night use? Negotiator is a fully consider the consequences of some policy of attrition, and minimize the consequences of negotiating priorities below, or removal, sanding application / penalties? If participants are paying for their own rooms, the price point that must be addressed?
Second How much food and drinks at the conference to provide participants? What are the needs of the organization and its participants? Since these functions are paid as part of the registration fee to attend the conference (if any), by the organization in its entirety, or as a paid option available to participants? What are the expectations? There are many methods available to reduce the cost of food and beverages, while maintaining the perceived value, but generally requires a carefully designed balancing act, and expert negotiations, combined with the organizers are willing to think outside the box in order to achieve the best results.
Third What are the audio-visual requirements for this event? This is an area that is perhaps the biggest budget breaker when organizations do not adequately understand and negotiate to meet their needs. Many inexperienced Conference planners have become awe struck when they realize what a hotel audio-visual departments will be charged. The best example is when a group is negotiating free microphones, but do not realize that the fee for connection reinforcement, work, etc. All of these species needs to be agreed in advance in detail as possible.
4th How are service charges? Many people expect ten to fifteen percent, and were stunned when they discovered that some hotels charge as much as 24 percent or even more. Is a tax exempt group sales in the state to allow sales tax exemptions (while it is still much to do, California, for instance, rarely allow sales tax exemptions). Organizations must have the right plan to have the necessary paperwork to sales tax exemption in place prior to the event. As for the cost of services, it is important to know if there is flexibility (rarely), as well as what is covered by fees for service, and which services are exempt from fees for service implementation.
5th What is the "comps" (complimentary) will be needed? Who gets this (eg, speakers, organizers, officials, invited guests), which will be offered for free? The organization must have a clearly defined policy in this area. Will the hotel offer some sort of accommodation to help organizations address this area? True professional negotiators to put everything on the table during negotiations. There will always be more flexibility from the stage of negotiations, but after a contract is in place.
6th What are groups? What is the greatest need and greatest concern? Be sure to address these during the negotiations.
What always amazed me, when working with organizations to help with your event, how many of those in decision-making leadership seems to feel that there is no need to address all of these details at the beginning. They seem to feel that the organizers should not do these things later. This is perhaps one of the most costly mistakes in terms of money, resources, and the result, it is far too many groups seem to be!
Richard Brody, with more than 30 years of consultative sales, marketing, training, management and operations experience, has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, held hundreds of seminars, appeared as a spokesman for the company to more than 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs about real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and meetings, etc. He has negotiated, structured and / or one hundredth organizing conferences and conventions. He is a senior consultant with the consulting services of the RGB, which is licensed Ecobroker and cost of materials (LBA) and licensed Salesperson in Nys, in real estate.
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