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 Mandi Engram, Sales Manager
Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau
Specializing in Education, Fraternal, Government & Military Meetings
No matter where you are planning your next meeting, make sure you start by contacting the local Convention and Visitors Bureau. While each CVB is different, they all provide services that will save you both time and money. There are an endless number of ways to a better bottom line when it comes to budgeting.
1. Start by contacting the CVB. Our CVB provides the following complimentary services:
Request for Proposal (RFP) – Just provide us with your meeting specifications, and we will determine which hotels and meeting facilities best suit the needs of your group and request proposals from just those properties. We can provide you with the rates in one easy to read document, and save you the hassle of having repeat your information over and over when contacting several facilities.
· Site Inspections
· Brochures/Materials
· Publicity
· Information Center
· Tours
· Special Assistance
2. Plan ahead.
The further out you begin planning, the more likely you are to get the rate you want at the property you want for the dates you want. Many groups are booking their meetings now for 2009, but some as far out as 2015. The more time you give properties to respond to your request, the more responses you are likely to get.
3. Book multiple meetings at once.
Regardless of how small or large your meeting is, some hotels can offer groups discounts if you are willing to contract multiple meetings with them.
4. Don’t be afraid to negotiate.
Just because a hotel gives you a proposal with rates that are too high for your group, it never hurts to ask if they can offer a lower rate or incentives. You’ll never know if you don’t ask.
5. Be flexible.
The more flexible you are with the date(s) of your meeting, the more likely you are to work out a lower rate by booking your meeting during low seasons or certain days of the week.
6. Incorporate more on-site meals.
By incorporating more on-site food & beverage functions into your meeting, you can often reduce or waive the cost of the meeting space. This goes for meeting facilities and hotels.
7. Promote the headquarter hotel.
Make sure attendees are aware that you have obtained a special hotel rate on a block of rooms for them, and that they get this rate by mentioning the name of the group when they book their room. Some properties operate on a sliding scale, where your meeting room rental is based on the number of hotel rooms your group fills. There are several ways to promote the hotels you have selected for your group, such as emails, flyers, conference brochures and materials, or even offering incentives for reserving a room at the host hotel(s). An incentive offered could be something as simple as reduced conference registration or entry into a prize drawing. Make sure to indicate the cut-off date for hotel reservations.
8. Provide accurate information and include all the details.
The more accurate and detailed the information is that you provide the CVB, the more likely you are to receive proposals with realistic cost information. All of the information on the Request for Proposal is important and can help lower the bottom line. It’s better to have too much information than too little.
Please make sure you include the following information, as it will affect price quotes:
· Meeting History (Property names and locations and rates for the last 1-3 yrs.)
· Food & Beverage (For each food & beverage function you should indicate whether it will be plated, buffet, hors de’ oeuvres, rounds, classroom, theatre style, and whether or not a meal can be held in the same room as the general session.)
· # of Hotel Rooms Per Night· # of Breakout Rooms (and whether or not this is flexible)
· Alternate Dates
· Government or Non-Profit Status (If you are planning a government or non-profit meeting, make sure you tell the CVB Sales Manager that you are working with. Often times you will be eligible for the government per diem rate for accommodations or a discounted meeting room rental.)
· Rate Range
· Budget
9. Bring your own equipment, if allowed.
Sometimes you can avoid costly A/V or rental fees by asking if you may bring in your own equipment, such as projectors, extension cords or podiums. It may be less expensive to buy the item yourself and keep it for use at future conferences or raffle it off to an attendee that booked a room at the host hotel. Another way to save money is to contract with one A/V company for multiple meetings to get volume discounts.
10. Hold meal functions in the general session room or prefunction areas.
You will avoid having to pay for two separate meeting rooms, especially if the setup stays the same.
11. Use local speakers and presenters to reduce travel costs.
12. Solicit sponsors for meal functions, receptions, brochures or exhibits and offer them something of value in return.
13. Design printed materials yourself or have a volunteer do them.
14. Enlist the help of volunteers.
15. Hire on-site registration and administrative staff instead of paying staff to travel.
16. Use local destinations or cities that are centrally located to increase attendance and reduce travel costs.
17. Negotiate a discount with an official airline carrier and request additional frequent-flyer points.
18. Ask the CVB if you have questions.
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